Oilers face two big G-MAC foes as stretch run looms

With last Monday's loss to Cedarville (89-57) in the rearview mirror, the University of Findlay pitched one of its best performances of the season Saturday in a 61-53 win over Hillsdale. Through 20 games this season, the Oilers (14-6, 8-4 G-MAC) are scoring a fifth-best in the conference 75.2 points and are allowing 69.4 points per game (sixth). Nate Bruns leads UF in points (14.3 ppg) and rebounds (7.1 rpg). Anthony Masterlasco and Joey Edmonds each average 11.6 points per game, while Tre'Maine Gray scores 11.2 points per contest. Now, UF will look to start another long winning streak. But it'll be a tall task as the Oilers are facing the top two teams in the Great Midwestern Athletic Conference; Malone and Walsh. Up first, the Oilers will travel east to face the 15-5 Cavaliers (10-3 G-MAC), who are allowing a third-best 66.9 points per game and are fourth in offense (75.7 ppg). That game tips off at 7:30 p.m. Thursday. Their three conferences losses are to Malone, Cedarville and Trevecca Nazarene. Garrison Keeslar leads the way for the WU, with 15.1 points (sixth in the G-MAC) and 8.4 rebounds per game, which are both team-highs. Darryl Straughter is averaging 13.7 points and 4.5 boards per game. He's made 53 3s so far this season on 149 tries (36 percent). The Oilers come back home Saturday, to face off against the No. 1 offense in the conference, Malone, who is averaging 81.4 points per game. Conversely, though, MU is allowing 72.8 points per game, which is eighth in the conference. Most recently, the Pioneers lost to Walsh, 90-84 and will face Hillsdale before coming to Findlay. Similar to the UF, Malone seemingly loves to play in tight games in the G-MAC. They have won seven of their ten conference wins by less than 10 points. On offense, they're led by Bryce Butler (17.3 ppg.) and Bo Myers (16.9 ppg.), who are both top five in the G-MAC in scoring. Myers averages 6.2 rebounds per game as well. But the offense is incredibly potent, as it has three more players (Justin Miller 13.5 ppg, Marcus Ernst 123 ppg and Jaret Majestic 11.8 ppg) who average in double figures as well. G-MAC MEN'S STANDINGS 1. Malone (15-5, 10-3 G-MAC) 2. Walsh (14-5, 10-3 G-MAC) 3. Hillsdale (15-5, 10-4 G-MAC) 4. Ashland (14-7, 10-4 G-MAC) 5. FINDLAY (14-6, 8-4 G-MAC) 6. Cedarville (13-8, 9-5 G-MAC) 7. Kentucky Wesleyan (11-13, 6-10 G-MAC) 8. Lake Erie (9-9, 3-8 G-MAC) 9. Ohio Dominican (6-16, 4-11 G-MAC) 10. Tiffin (8-13, 3-10 G-MAC) 11. Trevecca Nazarene (5-17, 2-13 G-MAC) UF women look to keep solid play going Losers of four in a row and holding onto 5-10 record, the University of Findlay women's basketball team looked to be on the outside looking in for a chance at making the G-MAC tournament. Now — after winning four games against teams ahead of them—the Oiler have a shot to punch their tickets. After knocking off Kentucky Wesleyan, Cedarville and Hillsdale twice, the Oilers (9-11, 7-7 G-MAC) are just a game back from a postseason spot and play two more teams this week that are ahead of them: Walsh and Malone. Like they have all season, Sydney Kin (15.5 ppg, 8.8 rpg) and Bridget Landin (10.9 ppg, 7.8 rpg) pace the Oilers. Landin is coming off a G-MAC Player of the week performance when she averaged 19 points and 9.5 rebounds over two games last week. In Monday's 55-53 win over Hillsdale — which they beat Saturday — Landin paced the Oilers with 19 points and nine boards. It's their fourth win in five games. Kate Ellis scored nine points off the bench for the Oilers, including hitting a 3-pointer with less than a minute to go that pushed the Oiler lead to five points, 55-50. Sydney Kin scored just five points, but grabbed 11 rebounds and blocked a pair of shots. Grace Touchette paced HC with 20 points. Coming off Monday's win, Oilers will then travel to face Walsh, which beat them earlier in the season, 72-59. That game tips off Thursday at 5:30 P.M. The Cavs (18-3, 13-2 G-MAC) average a second-best in the G-MAC 78.4 points per game on offense while allowing just 59.4 points (third in the G-MAC) on defense. It starts with the two seniors on WU — Sha Carter and Mayci Sales. Carter nearly averages a double-double with 18.3 points and 8.8 rebounds per game through 21 games. Sales almost averages a double-double as well, scoring 15.2 points and 8.1 rebounds per contest. Morgan McMillen averages 15.0 points per game. The Oilers come back home Saturday, looking to avenge its 65-64 loss to Malone at 1 p.m. In the game, the Oilers had a look at the win, yet came up short. The Pioneers (11-8, 7-6 G-MAC) recently lost to Walsh on February 5, 79-65, and play Hillsdale on Thursday. MU is averaging 71.2 points (4th in the G-MAC) on offense and allows 68.5 points per game on defense which is 7th in the conference. Holly Groff paces the Pioneers with 14.2 points, 3.1 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game in 19 games. Robin Campbell averages 13.7 points and 4.7 rebounds per game. Alexis Hutchison scores 12.6 points per contest. FINDLAY 16 13 12 14—55 HILLSDALE 11 9 14 19—53 G-MAC WOMEN'S STANDINGS 1. Ashland (20-1, 15-0 G-MAC) 2. Walsh (18-3, 13-2 G-MAC) 3. Kentucky Wesleyan (14-7, 11-4 G-MAC) 4. Malone (11-8, 7-6 G-MAC) 5. Hillsdale (11-10, 8-7 G-MAC) 6. Cedarville (13-9, 8-8 G-MAC) 7. FINDLAY (9-11, 7-7 G-MAC) 8. Tiffin (9-11, 6-8 G-MAC) 9. Ursuline (9-12, 6-10 G-MAC) 10. Ohio Dominican (5-17, 5-11 G-MAC) 11. Trevecca Nazarene (4-16, 3-11 G-MAC) 12. Lake Erie (1-21, 0-16 G-MAC) LOCAL SPORTS Men's College Tennis GRAND VALLEY 7, FINDLAY 0 SINGLES No. 1 — Josep Canyadell (GVM) def. Wilfredo Lara, 6-3, 6-2. No. 2 — Sean Miller (GVM) def. Luigi Bove, 3-6, 6-4, 6-4. No. 3 — Tomas Oliveira (GVM) def. Dallas Ramsey, 6-4, 6-4. No. 4 — Martin Matov (GVM) def. Alfredo Berlanga, 6-1, 7-5. No. 5 — Jack Dausman (GVM) def. Andrew Codita, 6-4, 7-6, 11-9. No. 6 — Kushan Shah (GVM) def. Octavio Carrasco, 6-2, 1-6, 11-9. DOUBLES No. 1 — Canyadell/Miller (GVM) def. Lara/Berlanga, 6-4. No. 2 — Dausman/Oliveira (GVM) def. Bove/Ramsey, 6-1. No. 3 — Carrasco/Mark Ivanov (UF), def. Matov/Shah (GVM) 6-3. Women's College Tennis GRAND VALLEY 6, FINDLAY 1 SINGLES No. 1 — Vera Griva (GVS) def. Elina Ivanova, 6-2, 6-2. No. 2 — Marijo Leko (GVS) def. Luciana Pereyra, 6-3, 6-3. No. 3 — Vasileia Griva (GVS) def. Laiying Alvarado, 6-3, 6-1. No. 4 — Taylor Barrett (GVS) def. Zuzanna Krygier, 7-5, 6-2. No. 5 — Estefania Hernandez (GVS) def. Samantha Sweet, 1-6, 7-5, 10-4. No. 6 — Marily Canellopoulos (GVS) def. Madison Arquette, 6-2, 6-4. DOUBLES No. 1 — Alvarado/Sweet (UF) def. Va. Griva/Ve. Griva (GVS) 6-3. No. 2 — Leko/Canellopoulos (GVS) def. Arquette/Krygier, 7-6 (7-2). No. 3 — Ivanova/Emily Hadler (UF) def. Barrett/Hernandez (GVS) 6-2. Schedule Tuesday's Events Boys Basketball Arcadia at Tiffin Calvert Elida at Bluffton Arcadia at Vanlue (BVC) Arlington at Van Buren (BVC) Leipsic at Carey McComb at Elmwood Northwood at North Baltimore Port Clinton at Fostoria Girls Basketball Oregon Clay at Findlay (TRAC) Ada at Waynesfield-Goshen McComb at Leipsic Liberty-Benton at Ottoville Fostoria at Tiffin Columbian Ottawa-Glandorf at Archbold Bellefontaine Calvary Christian at Hardin Northern (NWCC) Wrestling Carey, Liberty-Benton at Allen East