Box Score ASHLAND, Ohio – For the first time in six years, the AU men's basketball team has won six straight games. The Eagles' sixth win came with a convincing second half as AU came away with a 72-52 win at Kates Gymnasium Thursday (Jan. 19) night over Saginaw Valley State.
The teams entered the game with matching 4-4 records in GLIAC play, which tied them for eighth place in the GLIAC. Eight teams advance to the GLIAC Tournament.
AU's six-game winning streak is the program's longest since the 2005-06 season.
"We came together, we've been knocking down shots in practice and it's carried over into the game," junior forward Evan Yates (Cincinnati, Ohio/Walnut Hills) said. "We've got a lot of chemistry going right now and that's been a big key to it."
He finished with 25 points and pulled down 17 rebounds to lead the Eagles. Yates had 15 points and 10 boards at halftime. It was the third time this season he had a double-double in a half.
"When I run the court and draw the defense down, they all shift," Yates said of his ability to gain position on the block. "I'm already under the rim, so I make a quick move and go up from there."
"He made coaching pretty easy tonight," AU third-year head coach John Ellenwood said. "Just get the ball into (Evan) and let him work. I thought he did a good job passing the ball out tonight. Ten-for-15 is what I'm proud of – he's finishing around the basket."
The Eagles (10-6, 5-4 GLIAC) blitzed the Cardinals (8-8, 4-5 GLIAC) in the second half, 45-30. AU shot a blistering 75 percent (15-for-20) from the field in the final 20 minutes and held the Cards to 28.6 percent shooting (10-for-35).
Ashland opened the second half by making 10 of its first 11 shots from the field.
Both teams struggled from the field in the first half scoring the ball. Yates was 7-for-11 in the first half, but his teammates combined to go 4-for-19. AU's defense held strong, though, and limited the Cardinals to just 25.8 percent (8-for-31) shooting in the first half.
The Eagles carried a five-point lead, 27-22, into halftime after Saginaw led in the early minutes. AU trailed, 7-2, to start the game, but went on a 10-0 run, fueled by four points apiece by Yates and junior guard Ronnie Steward (Columbus, Ohio/Akron). Ashland didn't trail for the rest of the game.
AU came out of the break on a 22-10 run that pushed its lead to 17 points, 49-32. That run was capped by a layup by sophomore guard Jordan Berlin (Wilmington, Ohio), who finished with seven points.
Ellenwood praised his Berlin and redshirt-freshman guard DaWuan Thomas (Dayton, Ohio/Trotwood-Madison) for their ability to keep SVSU's Greg Foster and Chris Webb out of the paint. The pair combined for 10 points on 3-for-22 shooting. No SVSU starter finished in double figures in scoring.
"Greg Foster is one of the best players in this league and Chris Webb's a former freshman of the year," Ellenwood said. "Both those guys were guarded by DaWuan and Jordan for a majority of the game. Those guys take pride in their defense and they did a great job on them."
Steward had 12 points and Thomas added 11. Freshman forward Paul Honigford (Sugarcreek, Ohio/Garaway) had four points and pulled down six rebounds.
For the game, the Eagles cleaned off the glass, out-rebounding the Cardinals, 51-29. SVSU was 7-for-35 from 3-point range in the game – that's the most 3-point attempts for an AU opponent since Grand Valley State took the same number last season on Feb. 10.
George Goodman led the Cardinals with 12 points in 16 minutes off the bench. Eli Redman added 10 points.
Thursday's game will be broadcast on SportsTime Ohio on Thursday (11 p.m.) and Friday (5 a.m., noon).
The Eagles host Lake Superior State on Saturday (Jan. 21) at 3 p.m. at Kates Gymnasium. The Lakers beat Lake Erie in Painesville, Ohio, on Thursday night, 73-69.
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