Box Score These Ashland University women's basketball players pay close attention to their figures.
Here's the odd twist to this story - the scales they use go up, not down. Forget counting calories, this group counts points.
On Monday (Dec. 19) at Northwood, the 25th-ranked Eagles used a unique Meals on Wheels program as they ran to their ninth consecutive win, 95-52 over the Timberwolves.
Digest these numbers. This winning streak is the program's longest since the 1996-97 team reeled off 12 consecutive wins. AU is 9-1 and 5-0 in the GLIAC. This is the first time AU as been 5-0 in GLIAC play since 1996-97. Ashland is in first place in the GLIAC South and is the only team still unbeaten in conference play. Need another rising number? Well, with several nationally ranked teams losing in front of them, the Eagles figure to go up in the poll that will be released Tuesday.
Ready for dessert? Entering Tuesday's game, the Eagles were sixth in the nation in field goal percentage (46.7), 14th in assists (18.0 apg.), 22nd in assist-turnover margin (1.06) and 23rd in scoring (76.8 ppg.) and scoring margin (16.1).
The Timberwolves (6-5/2-4) probably had their fill of the Eagles. In the first half on Monday the Eagles shot 65.7 percent (23-of-35) from the floor and 53.8 percent (7-of-13) from three-point distance. AU scored the game's first six points and pushed that advantage to 19-8 with 12:48 left in the half. In the last 9:53 of the half, Ashland outscored the 'Wolves, 29-7 and led at the break, 54-22.
At Hillsdale on Saturday, the Eagles raced out to a large lead in the first half and watched as a 24-point second half lead melted away. There was none of that happening this time. AU's defense never wilted – the Eagles forced 24 turnovers and led in points off of turnovers, 27-9. The Timberwolves struggled to find good shots and hit 33.9 percent (21-of-62) of their shots from the floor. Even though the Eagles cleared the bench, their level of play didn't fall. For the game, Ashland shot 61.5 percent (40-of-65) from the field and 45.5 percent (10-of-22) on three-point tries.
The tandem of junior forward Kari Daugherty (Fresno, Ohio/Dayton) and redshirt sophomore guard-forward Ashley Dorner (Bellville, Ohio/Clear Fork) hurt the 'Wolves all night. The two combined to make 22-of-31 field goal tries (71 percent). Dorner scored a career-high 25 points. This comes two days after she reached a career high in rebounds (16) at Hillsdale.
Daugherty, who is fourth in the nation in scoring (23.2 ppg.), had 23 points and eight rebounds. This broke a string of five consecutive games of 25 points or more for her. She could have reached that level in this game had she not sat out much of the second half. Daugherty had 17 points by halftime.
Senior guard Jena Stutzman (Berlin, Ohio/Kent State) handled much of the load from the perimeter. Stutzman had 16 points, seven assists and a pair of triples. She's 14th in the nation in three-pointers per game (3.1).
The Eagles got a lift off the bench from freshman guard Taylor Woods (Wadsworth, Ohio). She scored 11 points and had a team-high six steals. Sophomore guard Alyssa Miller (Zanesville, Ohio/Tri-Valley) continued to excel in orchestrating the attack – she had five assists and four steals. In her last three games Miller has 20 assists (6.7 apg.).
Northwood received 11 points each from Savannah Stedman and Megan Gonta.
The one thing that might be able to slow the Eagles down, at least temporarily, is the schedule. Ashland will not play again until it hosts Walsh on Dec. 30. The next GLIAC game is on Jan. 5 at Kates Gymnasium against Findlay.
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