Men's Basketball

HCAC 2025-26 Men's Basketball Notebook, Week 8

CARMEL, Ind. – The Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference (HCAC) men’s basketball teams competed in week eight of the 2025-26 season.
 
Around the League:
HCAC Men’s Basketball Schedule

Athlete of the Week:
Malachi McNair (Evansville, Ind.) Hanover College | Forward | Sophomore - Malachi McNair led Hanover to a 2-1 overall record as it defeated both Geneva and Bluffton over the holiday break. The sophomore averaged a double-double with 22.0 points and 15.0 rebounds per game. In a contest with Wisconsin-Platteville, he had 16 points and six rebounds before exploding against Geneva. Against the Golden Tornadoes, McNair had a game-high 27 points and 23 rebounds, earning him all-tournament honors. He closed out the three game stretch netting 23 points, while pulling down 16 rebounds in a win over Bluffton.

Notable Performances:
  • Elijah Mattingly (Beech Grove, Ind.) Anderson University | Wing | Senior - Elijah Mattingly filled the stat sheet as a force on both ends of the court during Saturday's win against Transylvania. Mattingly posted 14 points, 14 rebounds, five steals, three blocks, and three assists.
  • Jae'dyn Gist (Harlan, Ky.) Bluffton University | Guard | Junior - Jae'dyn Gist achieved a double-double in just 22 minutes of play. He scored 22 points, grabbed 12 rebounds, and excelled by going 6-for-6 from the field and 10-for-11 at the free throw line during the team's victory against Thomas College.
  • Andre Irvin (Lewis Center, Ohio) Bluffton University | Guard | Graduate - Irvin averaged 22.0 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 3.67 assists per game as Bluffton went 1-2 for the week. He went 7-for-14 from distance and 29-for-41 at the line. At Adrian, Irvin hit 14-of-20 at the line on the way to a career-high 26 points. He also knocked down 2-of-3 outside the arc and pulled down five rebounds.
  • Cooper Matthews (Hamilton, Ohio) Franklin College | Guard | Junior - Cooper Matthews scored in double digits in all three of the Grizzlies' games during a 2-1 week. He had 12-point games against Regis and Oswego State as Franklin split two games at the Music City Classic in Nashville and a team-high 16 points as well as three assists and three steals in a win over Earlham.
  • Cooper Ollis (Fairfield, Ohio) Mount St. Joseph University | Wing | Freshman - Cooper Ollis helped Mount St. Joseph secure a 65-44 win on the road at Manchester on Saturday. He scored 18 points, hauled in nine rebounds, dished out three assists, and added a steal. He did so while knocking in a career-high four three-pointers.
  • Evan Gentile (Kettering, Ohio) Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology | Guard | Freshman - Evan Gentile erupted for a career-high 28 points to lead Rose-Hulman past Berea with a final score of 96-64. Gentile shot 10-for-13 from the field and 6-for-9 from beyond-the-arc. He also added five rebounds, four assists, and two steals to help Rose-Hulman remain undefeated at the top of the HCAC.
  • Hunter Barr (Hardinsburg, Ky.) Transylvania University | Center | Junior - Hunter Barr led the team with 25 points, 10 rebounds, and one steal in Transylvania’s Saturday loss at Anderson. Barr shot 11-for-17 from the field, capping a strong month from Barr. He was named amongst the top-10 performers in Division III over the winter break. This recognition includes a 25-point, 13-rebound, four-block performance in Transylvania's win over Dubuque at the Sunrise Shootout.
Looking Forward:
HCAC Men’s Basketball Standings