Box Score At this time of the year, a window that's not completely shut or a door that doesn't quite fit the frame, will let in a cold wind that drives an energy bill skyward.
Thursday night (Jan. 17) at Kates Gymnasium, the Findlay Oilers let the door open a crack and the Ashland University Eagles made them pay, not in dollars and cents, but in the won-loss column. Maybe this will send the Eagles' fortunes skyward.
With 13 second left in regulation, Findlay had a 60-59 lead and Aaron Robinson was at the free throw line for two free throws. He missed both. AU cleared the rebound and with two seconds left in regulation, sophomore guard DaWuan Thomas (Dayton, Ohio/Trotwood-Madison) hit a hanging jumper in the paint to put AU ahead to stay, 61-60.
Findlay's final shot came at the horn and was an off-balance three-point attempt from just in front of the Findlay bench. When that shot went awry, the Eagles had ended a four-game losing streak and had beaten the Oilers for just the second time in the last 10 meetings.
Ashland is 5-9, 3-8 in league play. The Oilers are 10-5 and 7-4.
This game was hard work – for both teams. There were eight lead changes and the game was tied four times. Findlay led at halftime, 29-26. UF's largest lead of the game came with 7:10 to go in the first half. At that point, the Oilers led by eight points.
There wasn't much to separate these teams. The one big difference was the presence of AU senior forward Evan Yates (Cincinnati, Ohio/Walnut Hills). He posted his second consecutive double-double and his sixth of the season with 15 points and 11 rebounds. Yates is two rebounds away from taking over second place in career rebounds at AU.
Thanks in large part to Yates, Ashland led on the boards, 44-32. Ashland led in points in the paint, 30-22 and in second chance points, 13-10.
Junior forward Will Evans (Lexington, Ohio/Christian Academy) narrowly missed his second double-double of the year with 14 points and nine rebounds. Thomas had eight points and eight rebounds. Senior guard Ronnie Steward (Columbus, Ohio/Akron) had 15 points. Steward had 13 points in the first half.
Both of these teams entered the contest trying to regain their confidence. Findlay lost at home last Saturday to Tiffin. That snapped an 81-game home winning streak against GLIAC foes. AU came into this game with a four-game losing streak. In games at Walsh and Malone last week, Ashland let second half leads get away.
On this night, the Eagles didn't wilt in the second half. AU's performance at the free throw line was average (5-of-10) and the Eagles didn't shoot particularly well from the field either (24-of-60, 40 percent). But the Eagles did a good job of protecting the basketball (eight turnovers) and got key stops when they needed them.
This is the fewest points the Eagles have allowed against the Oilers since the 2000-01 season when AU edged the Oilers, 68-59 at Kates Gymnasium. In the second half, AU was able to force the Oilers into a number of off-balance shots. Over the last 20 minutes, UF shot 33.3 percent (9-of-27) from the floor and 25 percent (2-of-8) on three-pointers.
The few good looks the Oilers got came when they were able to open up the game. Ashland prevented that from happening for most of the night. Neither team scored a fast break point.
Greg Kahlig was Findlay's leading scorer with 21 points. He was the only UF player to reach double digits in scoring.
The Eagles host Hillsdale on Saturday (Feb. 19).
AU
