Box Score Over the years, Ashland University basketball teams have learned that many strange things can occur when playing in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. Hikers have been known to lose their way in the UP's deep forests. Basketball teams have encountered a similar problem on the basketball courts of Northern Michigan, Michigan Tech and Lake Superior State.
Saturday (Feb. 19) in Marquette, Mich., the AU men's basketball team learned that lesson again. Ahead for the majority of the game, the Eagles watched their lead melt away in the game's final minutes. The end result was a 72-68 victory for Northern Michigan. The loss is Ashland's third straight and leaves the Eagles with a 12-12 record, 6-11 in the conference.
Northern Michigan won for the first time since Jan. 29. The win broke a four-game losing streak and gives the Wildcats an 8-16 mark, 3-14 in the GLIAC.
AU led for the final 7:20 of the first half and did not trail until there were 39 seconds left in regulation. Once the 'Cats got that lead they never gave it up. Unfortunately for the Eagles, this was a repeat of what happened on Thursday at Michigan Tech, where Ashland was in front most of the way before falling, 63-60.
The Eagles had a 44-38 lead at halftime. Ashland forced nine NMU turnovers in the first half and had a 16-0 edge in points off of turnovers in the first half. What hurt the Eagles in the second half was that the 'Cats did a better job of holding onto the basketball. After halftime, NMU turned the ball over four times. When the Wildcats weren't losing the handle, they were effective on the offensive end of the court. For the game, NMU shot 50 percent (25-of-50) from the floor, 52.9 percent (9-of-17) from three-point range and 92.9 percent (13-of-14) from the free throw line.
The Wildcats tied the game, 68-68 with 1:32 left in regulation on a three-pointer by Matthew Craggs. Craggs led all players in the game with 20 points. He scored 15 points in the second half. Craggs also grabbed a game-high eight rebounds.
Not only did the Eagles lose the lead with that Craggs three-pointer, but it appears they lost their confidence. Ashland's next possession resulted in three missed shots. First, guard David Harris (Cincinnati, Ohio/Florida) missed a layup. Forward Evan Yates (Cincinnati, Ohio/Walnut Hill) collected the rebound and missed a jumper. AU got the next rebound and forward Will Evans (Lexington, Ky./Christian Academy) was off target with another jumper.
After the Evans miss, NMU got the ball and with 39 seconds left, took the lead on a layup by Jared Benson. That put NMU ahead, 70-68. AU's next possession resulted in two misses, both by forward Kale Richardson. First, the senior missed a jumper, then a three-pointer. Richardson led AU with 15 points. All of those points came in the first half.
Chris Paquin rebounded Richardson's second miss and connected on a pair of free throws with three seconds left. That ended any AU comeback hopes.
Yates finished the game with 14 points and five rebounds and forward Antoine Childs (Beaver Falls, Pa./Western Carolina) had 11 points and four rebounds. In addition to the 20 points Craggs produced, the 'Cats got 14 points and seven rebounds from Mylan Murphy and 15 points from Martin Gross.
The loss leaves the Eagles with a 4-8 road record.
The Eagles have two games left. Their next assignment comes on Thursday (Feb. 24) when they play at Ohio Dominican.
AU
MBB/ALK
