Box Score ASHLAND, Ohio – Back on Dec. 17, the AU men's basketball team lost at Hillsdale in overtime. That was the only time this season, the Eagles have played in game decided by fewer than nine points.
Even without much experience in playing tight games this season, the Eagles grinded out a 61-59 win at Tiffin on Thursday (Jan. 12) night. The win extended AU's winning streak to four games, the longest for the Eagles in two seasons.
The Eagles (8-6, 3-4 GLIAC) led for much of the first half, but the Dragons (7-9, 1-8 GLIAC) trimmed that lead to one point, 26-25, at the intermission. The teams traded the lead eight times in the second half in a battle that came down to the final seconds.
Ashland led by one point with the ball and under 30 seconds to play when junior forward Evan Yates (Cincinnati, Ohio/Walnut Hills) had his jumper rim out, giving the ball to the Dragons.
Karl Finley, who finished with a game-high 21 points, tried to drive on AU guard DaWuan Thomas (Dayton, Ohio/Trotwood-Madison), but the 6-foot-1 redshirt-freshman knocked the ball away for a steal.
The ball wound up in Yates' hands. He was fouled and split the free throws to give AU a 61-59 lead with 6.9 seconds remaining.
On the ensuing possession, Finley drove the length of the floor and drew a blocking foul on sophomore guard Jordan Berlin (Wilmington, Ohio) with 1.3 seconds left. Finley missed the first free throw, forcing him to miss the second on purpose. Tiffin's Keenan Barlow got the offensive board, but his tip-in didn't fall and AU left the floor with a key road win.
Berlin led the AU offensive attack, matching career highs with 17 points and seven rebounds. He also set a career high with seven field goals on just 11 attempts.
Yates contributed his 10th double-double of the season with 16 points (10-for-14 at the line) and a game-high 13 rebounds. Thomas finished with 10 points and four rebounds and sophomore forward Will Evans (Lexington, Ky./Christian Academy) had six points, eight rebounds and matched a career high with four assists.
The Eagles fought through a tough shooting night that included a 30.3 percent (10-for-33) performance in the first half. They shot just 20 percent (4-for-20) from 3-point range. AU had 11 shots blocked by the Dragons, who entered the game eighth in the country in that category. On the defensive end, the Eagles limited the Dragons to just 37.1 percent (23-for-62).
Finley had six assists to go with his 20 points and Travis Spahr finished with 19 points, 10 rebounds and three blocks for the Dragons. Iman Johnson had two points, 10 rebounds and five blocks.
The Eagles return to Kates Gymnasium – where they are 6-2 this season – on Saturday (Jan. 14) afternoon to face Ohio Dominican in a GLIAC South matchup. Tip-off is set for 3 p.m.
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