The Malone University women's basketball team heads out on the road this week for the first two of six straight away games as they visit Hillsdale College this Thursday, December 6th at 5:30 pm and the University of Findlay on Saturday, December 8th at 1:00 pm. The Pioneers, who come into the week at 3-4 on the season and 1-1 in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference, will be put to the test as both Hillsdale and Findlay reached the G-MAC Final a season ago.
 
GameDay
12/6 Malone at Hillsdale – 5:30 pm
12/8 Malone at Findlay – 1:00 pm
Live video will be provided via the Great Midwest Digital Network at portal.stretchinternet.com/malone
Live stats (vs. Hillsdale): http://www.hillsdalechargers.com/sports/wbkb/2018-19/boxscores/20181206_r58j.xml
Live state (vs. Findlay): http://athletics.findlay.edu/sports/wbkb/2018-19/boxscores/20181208_qaj3.xml
 
*The Malone men will follow the women's game on both days as part of the G-MAC doubleheaders.
 
Series History
Since Malone started playing Hillsdale in 2013, the Pioneers are 2-6, including four straight losses. Last December, the Chargers topped Malone 77-51 in Michigan. In a February rematch in Canton, Malone erased a 14-point fourth-quarter deficit only to see Hillsdale score the final four points in a 66-62 defeat. The Pioneers have never won at Hillsdale.
 
In a much more longstanding history with Findlay which began in 1992, the Pioneers are just 3-25 all-time, although all three wins have come in the past five seasons and two have come at Findlay. Last year, however, Malone dropped a 53-47 decision to the Oilers at Findlay before suffering a 58-53 setback in Canton, which featured a season-worst (-15) rebound disparity.

Malone Notes

• The Pioneers are coming off of a 1-1 week that included a 76-51 win over Ohio Valley highlighted by 26 forced turnovers and 17 steals – the most in a game since 2004.
• In a 64-55 loss to Ohio Dominican this past Saturday, Malone held the Panthers to just 22 points over the final 25 minutes, but could not overcome an early 26-point disadvantage.
• The Pioneer defense, especially in the halfcourt, has been outstanding all season. Malone leads the G-MAC in fewest points allowed (61.3 per game) and opponents field goal shooting (37.4%).
• The offense, meanwhile, is producing 63.3 points per game on 36.6% shooting. Malone has scored more than 65 points in regulation just one time in seven games.
• Freshman guard Robin Campbell is the only Pioneer to average double digits in scoring, tossing in 14.9 points per game. She also leads the team with 25 assists and is second with 39 rebounds (5.6 rpg). Among all freshmen in Division II, Campbell is the only one to rank in the top-10 in both scoring (6th) and assists (10th).
• Michigan native Ellen Doyle leads the team in rebounding (6.4 rpg), is second in scoring (9.3 ppg), and is third in assists (13).
• Senior guard Chrissie Vaughan (9.1 ppg) leads the team in three-pointers (13).
• Junior guard Sydney Wentling (8.1 ppg) has scored at least 12 points in four of the last five games. She is shooting a team-high 41.2% from three and 87.5% at the free-throw line.
• As a team, Malone is second in the G-MAC in free throws (79.0%) and fourth in three-pointers per game (8.4).
• Naomi Grandison (10), Paiten Strother (8) and Mikayla Poole (8) have combined for 26 threes on the season. Grandison scored a team-high 14 points in the loss at Hillsdale last season while Strother scored a team-high 10 in the home loss to Findlay. Strother this season leads the team in steals (7) and is second in assists (15).
• The Pioneers are 2-0 in true road games this season.
   

Hillsdale Notes -  Roster | Schedule | Stats

• The defending G-MAC Champion Chargers, who were voted preseason co-favorites along with Findlay, enter Thursday's contest at just 2-5 on the season and 1-1 in the G-MAC.
• That lone win came last Saturday at Tiffin where senior guard Allie Dewire (21 points) and freshman guard Grace Touchette (20) led Hillsdale to a 74-65 victory. Dewire and Touchette are among five Chargers all averaging at least 10 points a game.
• Senior forward Makenna Ott leads the team in scoring (11.3 ppg), rebounding (6.3 rpg), assists (4.0 apg) and shooting (46.1%). She scored in double digits in both wins over Malone last season.
• As a team, Hillsdale likes to shoot the three, ranking 17th in DII and third in the G-MAC with 9.3 made threes per game.
• Defensively, Hillsdale is next to last in the country in steals per game (3.7 spg) and next to last in the G-MAC in average turnover margin (-5.0). Opponents are averaging 72.1 points on 43.7% shooting.
   

Findlay Notes - Roster | Schedule | Stats

• The G-MAC preseason coaches poll co-favorites and 2018 NCAA Tournament participants are 3-1 on the season and 1-1 in the G-MAC. Following an 89-69 win over Tiffin last Thursday, the Oilers lost 74-70 at Cedarville as the Yellow Jackets outpaced the Oilers 20-0 in points off of turnovers.
• Early G-MAC Player of the Year frontrunner Anna Hintz, an All-Region performer last season, leads the conference in scoring (23.3 ppg), rebounding (11.3 rpg), blocks (1.8 bpg), and field goals (55.4%) and is fifth in steals (2.3 spg).
• Point guard Allie Thobe (10.5 ppg) leads the G-MAC in assists (5.3 apg) and is also fifth in steals (2.3 spg).
• As a team Findlay leads the G-MAC in scoring (80.8 ppg), shooting (46.4%), scoring margin (+16.8 ppg), rebounding margin (+10.2 rpg), and blocks (4.0 bpg). The Oilers are also second in the G-MAC in three-point shooting (40.3%) and field goal defense (38.0%) and are 10th in DII in fewest turnovers (12.3 tpg).
• Dating back to two seasons ago, Findlay, who hosts Walsh on Thursday, is 14-3 at home over its last 17 games.