The Chargers ended last week with a gritty 75-64 win over the Walsh University Cavaliers on Jan. 16 and a tough 67-69 loss against the Lake Erie College Cyclones on Jan. 18. 

Against Walsh, the Chargers struggled defensively in the first half, allowing the Walsh offense to shoot 62.5% from the field and keep the game within two at the end of the half. 

Senior Eric Radisevic scored 12 points, going 5-8 from the field. He also grabbed three rebounds. 

“Our biggest focus was staying connected as a group and keeping them out of the paint, which helped in making them take difficult jumpshots,” Radisevic said. 

In the second half, the Chargers began to break away, dominating the glass with 36 total team rebounds to the Cavaliers’ 25 and holding them to 37% from the field and 23% from three.

Sophomore Mikey McCollum led the Chargers, scoring 18 points and shooting 7-13 from the field. 

“All my teammates just continued to get downhill which led to open looks off their penetration,” McCollum said. “Once I saw one go in, the other guys just gave me confidence to keep shooting and trying to make plays.”

McCollum credited the team’s defensive improvement in the second half to Coach Bradley’s motivational halftime to wake the team up and stop the high-powered Cavalier offense. 

The Chargers then dropped their first conference-play game of the season against a strong Lake Erie University team that had only lost by three against the Chargers on Jan. 4. The Chargers now sit second in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference at 15-3.

The Chargers held a 37-30 lead at the half but struggled shooting after the break, only shooting 1-6 from deep, and missing eight free throws. 

“As far as the Lake Erie game, we didn’t box out defensively and they got offensive rebounds, and we also let them get to the foul line and they made their free throws and we didn’t,” Reuter said.

Reuter emphasized the need to put continuous pressure on Findlay in their upcoming game and to play fundamentally sound basketball on both ends of the court. 

The Chargers next play conference rival No. 9 Findlay at home on Jan. 25.