Ashland (2-2/1-1 GLIAC) at Wayne State (3-1/2-0 GLIAC)
Wednesday, Dec. 5, 6:07 p.m.
Matthaei Building
Setting The Scene
The Eagles bring a 2-2 record into their first GLIAC road contest of the season. Ashland is coming off a 1-1homestand. Last Saturday, the Eagles shut down Ferris State, 71-49. That ties the school record for fewest points allowed in a GLIAC game. The last time AU held a team to 49 points was during the 2005-06 season when the Eagles quieted Gannon, 60-49.
This is AU's second road game of the season. The first time AU played away from home was on Nov. 20, and the Eagles stumbled at Urbana, 71-68. Playing in Detroit has been a challenge for the Eagles. AU is searching for its first win at WSU since the 2004-05 season when the Eagles downed the Warriors, 93-90. Ashland has lost seven consecutive times in Detroit since then.
A year ago, the Eagles lost twice to the Warriors, 75-66 in Ashland and 79-71 at Wayne State.
About the Eagles
Senior forward Evan Yates (Cincinnati, Ohio/Walnut Hills) is the GLIAC leader in rebounds per game (11.8). He's fifth in scoring (18.0 ppg.) and eighth in field goal percentage (58.5). In this week's NCAA statistics, Yates is third in rebounding and eighth in double-doubles (8)…Yates had 27 points and 12 rebounds against Ferris State…sophomore Paul Honigford (Sugarcreek, Ohio/Garaway) is second in the GLIAC in three-point field goal percentage (.625/10-of-16). Honigford is the NCAA Division II leader in three-point field goal percentage. Honigford is second on the team in scoring (10.5)…senior guard Ronnie Steward (Columbus, Ohio/Akron) is averaging 7.5 ppg., and is third in the conference in assist-turnover ratio (4.7). He's eighth in the nation in that category…sophomore guard DaWuan Thomas (Dayton, Ohio/Trotwood-Madison) is third in the league in assist-turnover ratio (4.5). Thomas scored a season-high 14 points last Saturday against Ferris State…Ashland is 17th in the nation in scoring defense, permitting 58.3 ppg…Ashland was 3-8 on the road last season…in two games against WSU last season Yates averaged 21.0 ppg., and 11.0 rpg.
Head Coach John Ellenwood
AU head coach John Ellenwood is in his fourth season at Ashland. A year ago, he guided the Eagles to a 15-12 record, 10-9 in GLIAC play. Ellenwood is a 2000 College of Wooster grad. This past fall, he was inducted into the college's Hall of Fame. At Ashland, Ellenwood is 43-42. His career record as a college head coach is 73-90. Ellenwood came to AU from Thomas More, where he was the head coach for three years.
About the Warriors (3-1/1-1 GLIAC)
Wayne State has a three-game winning streak. The only loss the Warriors absorbed this season came in the opener at nationally-ranked Bellarmine, 79-65. Last week, WSU won two road games, at Tiffin (83-71) and Ohio Dominican (86-68)…guard Chene Phillips is this week's GLIAC South Division player of the week. He had 29 points, seven rebounds and 14 assists against Tiffin and 18 points, nine boards and two assists at ODU. Phillips is averaging a team-high 22.0 ppg. He collects 6.5 rpg.
Cole Prophet, a 5-6, 150-pound guard, averages 13.3 ppg. Mike Hollingsworth, a 6-2, 187-pound guard, averages 11.8 ppg., and 4.3 rpg.
Eagles-Warriors
Wayne State holds a 26-19 lead in the all-time series. The Warriors have won three of the last four games. Ashland's last victory over WSU came during the 2010-11 season, 57-56 in Ashland.
In last season's game at Ashland, which the Warriors won, 75-66, WSU forward Ike Udanoh had 18 points and 12 rebounds. The Warriors led in points in the paint, 34-22. Ashland had 18 turnovers and WSU ran up a 14-8 spread in points off of turnovers. Yates paced the Eagles with 22 points and 13 rebounds and Steward had 16 points and five rebounds.
At WSU, the Warriors won, 79-71. The Eagles got in trouble right off the bat. The Warriors shot 57.7 percent (15-of-26) from the floor and 8-of-11 (72.7 percent) from three-point range in the first half and led, 42-23 at the break. Five WSU players reached double digits in scoring. Bryan Coleman came off the bench to score a team-high 17 points for the Warriors. For the game, WSU shot 51.9 percent (27-of-52) from the floor and 52.9 percent (9-of-17) from three-point range. Yates had 20 points and nine rebounds for the Eagles. Thomas added 13 points.
Up Next
Ashland will play at Saginaw Valley State this Saturday (Dec. 8, 1 p.m.).
AU
MBB/ALK
