FINDLAY, Ohio - The University of Findlay and Hillsdale College will meet in the championship game of the 2010 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) Men's Basketball Tournament on Saturday (Mar. 6) at 7:00 p.m. at the Croy Gymnasium on the UF campus.

Click here for the GLIAC Men's Basketball Tournament web page

#1 Findlay 82, #4 Ferris State 68

Release courtesy of David Buck, UF Sports Information Director

The University of Findlay men’s basketball team advanced to the championship game of the 2010 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) Tournament after defeating Ferris State University 82-69 on Friday, March 5 in Croy Gymnasium. The win gives the Oilers a shot at their fifth tournament title and improved their record to 23-6 on the season.

The first half of the game was the Nathan Hyde show as he drained six three pointers to help give Findlay a 39-30 lead at the break.

The Oilers then fought through the second half to pick up the victory as they shot 47.9 percent (23-of-48) from the floor and drained 28-of-36 (77.8%) of their free throw attempts.

Findlay also connected on 8-of-14 (57.1%) shots from behind the three point line and scored 26 points off of 16 turnovers by the Bulldogs.

Hyde tied his career-high with 34 points, hitting 9-of-14 shots overall which included a 7-of-10 showing from the three point line.

The junior also hit all nine of his free throw attempts and grabbed six rebounds in the win.

Junior center Jason Wehri added 12 points and six rebounds while junior forward Tyler Sparks contributed 10 points, seven rebounds and three steals.

Senior guard Marcus Parker chipped in 10 points and nine assists while freshman forward Jack Smith came off the bench to add nine points and three rebounds.

The Bulldogs were led by Darien Gay and Justin Keenan who scored 23 and 22 points respectively in the game.

The Oilers will be back in action again tomorrow against Hillsdale College at 7:00 p.m. in the championship game of the GLIAC Tournament.

#3 Hillsdale 61, #2 Grand Valley State 53

Release courtesy of Brad Monastiere, HC Sports Information Director

From 1-10 to the GLIAC Tournament championship game. It sounds simple, but the journey this Hillsdale College men’s basketball team has been on has been simply amazing.

The Chargers hung on for a 61-53 win over Grand Valley State University Friday night in the GLIAC Tournament semifinals at the University of Findlay. Hillsdale, now 16-12 on the season, will take on the host Oilers in the title game at 7 p.m. Saturday.

Tickets will go on sale for Saturday’s championship game at 6 p.m. at Findlay’s Croy Gymnasium.

This is Hillsdale’s first appearance in the GLIAC championship game since 1995.

Hillsdale had defeated Grand Valley State just three times in the past 16 years, but none of those three wins was as sweet as the one the team earned to advance to the tournament title game. Findlay has won 53 straight games at home and has never lost a tournament game on its home court. news story image

The Chargers played brilliant defense and were in control of the game most of the way. The team built a 27-14 halftime lead, holding GVSU to 5-for-26 shooting from the floor in the half.

Hillsdale’s lead grew to as big as 21 points, after back-to-back layups by freshman Nick Washburn early in the second half. But the game was far from over, and the Lakers made the Chargers sweat for every second of this victory.

After Hillsdale held a 44-23 lead with 10:39 left in the game, Grand Valley State went on a 14-2 run to close the gap to nine. The Lakers further whittled the lead.

But Hillsdale’s intelligent play on the offensive end, along with its usual dead-eye free throw shooting, helped preserve the lead, and eventually the win.

The Chargers turned in another balanced effort, with four players scoring in double figures, led by Brent Eaton’s 16 points. Sophomore guard Tyler Gerber contributed 13 points and five assists, while Washburn and Brad Guinane each scored 10.

Washburn had three blocked shots, all coming in the first 10 minutes of the game.