Thursday, Jan. 24, 2013, 7:30 p.m.
Alumni Hall, Columbus, Ohio
#1 Ashland (19-0/12-0 GLIAC) at Ohio Dominican (4-11/1-11)
Saturday, Jan. 26, 2013, 3 p.m.
Kates Gymnasium, Ashland, Ohio
Tiffin (8-8/5-7 GLIAC) at #1 Ashland (19-0/12-0 GLIAC)
(Both games will be broadcast live on WNCO-AM, 1340 with Matt Brubaker on the call.)
Setting The Scene
This weekend at Ashland University, the athletic department will celebrate the history of women's athletics at the institution with a Women's Athletic Reunion. While that is taking place, the AU women's basketball team is in the midst of a season that will be a great discussion topic for future reunions (see information on reunion below).
AU is ranked first in the country and with one more victory, wraps up a second consecutive 20-win season. Ashland has won 52 of its last 54 games and is the defending GLIAC champion and NCAA Division II Midwest Region champion.
This week finds the Eagles heading to Columbus, Ohio for a date with Ohio Dominican and hosting Tiffin on Saturday. Both schools play in the GLIAC South Division with the Eagles. Ashland will play both schools twice this season. The teams are playing for the first time this week.
Saturday is Senior Citizens Day at AU and all seniors (62 and over) will be admitted free to the game. No registration is required for this event. Senior Citizen Day is sponsored by Brethren Care Village. For questions about the promotion or for special parking needs, contact the AU sports marketing office, 419-289-5954.
The Women's Athletic Reunion is being held on Saturday (Jan. 26) at 10:30 a.m., in the John C. Myers Upper Convocation Center/Faculty Room. This event features a panel discussion, lunch and a varsity letter ceremony. For more information, contact Jeff Alix at 419-289-5093.
About the Eagles
Ashland picked up a pair of wins last week, defeating Findlay (Jan. 17, 72-41) and Hillsdale (Jan. 19, 80-51). Both games were at Kates Gymnasium…AU has put together some impressive scoring runs this year and against Findlay, had another eye-opening spurt. Against the Oilers, the second place team in the GLIAC South Division, the Eagles reeled off the game's first 20 points. That came on the heels of a stretch at Malone where the Eagles outscored the Pioneers, 20-3 in the first five minutes of the second half…AU tied its season low for points allowed against Findlay. The Eagles also limited Lake Superior to 41 points (Dec. 19, 80-41). Ashland has held four teams this season to under 50 points…in the two games last week, AU limited Findlay and Hillsdale to 31.2 percent shooting from the field (34-of-109) and out-rebounded those two teams, 90-58. Ashland forced 34 turnovers last week and led in points off of turnovers, 41-17. In second chance points, AU outscored Hillsdale, 19-0 and for the week, led in second chance points, 30-5.
The Eagles have trailed at halftime just once this season. That came at Malone (Jan. 12) where the Pioneers had a 33-32 lead at the break…AU has won 44 consecutive regular season games dating back to last season. The last time AU lost in the regular season was against Minnesota State-Mankato, 63-46 in the 2011-12 season opener at California (Pa.)…Ashland's last loss to a GLIAC team came in the championship game of the 2010-11 GLIAC Tournament, 63-53 to Michigan Tech at Tech. The last time Ashland lost a GLIAC regular season game was on Feb. 19, 2011, at Northern Michigan, 74-66. The Eagles have won 34 consecutive games against GLIAC foes and have a 33-game regular season GLIAC winning streak…the Eagles own a 32-game home winning streak. The last time the Eagles lost at Kates Gymnasium was Jan. 29, 2011, 81-73 to Findlay in overtime…AU's closest games this season are a pair of 10-point verdicts - against Ferris State (72-62) on Dec. 1, and against Michigan Tech (76-66) on Jan. 5…AU has defeated three ranked teams – Indianapolis (#5), Gannon (15th) and Grand Canyon (13th) – this season…Ramsey's 300th win at Ashland came against Lake Superior State, 80-41 at Kates Gymnasium on Dec. 19.
In this week's USA Today Sports Division II Top 25 Coaches' Poll, AU leads the nation with all 32 first place votes and 800 points. Bentley (765) is second, Clayton State (738) is third, Colorado Mesa (674) is fourth and Western Washington (627) is fifth. Ashland is one of four undefeated teams in the poll. The top four teams in the nation are all unbeaten.…the last time AU was outrebounded was against Alaska-Anchorage on Mar. 20, 2012 (39-32) in the Elite Eight in San Antonio. Ashland has out-rebounded the opposition in 21 consecutive games dating back to last season…this year's 19-0 start is the best in school history. In 1995-96 and 1996-97 the Eagles began the year, 12-0…with one more win, AU will notch a second straight 20-victory season. That's only happened once before in school history. From 2003-04 through the 2005-06 season, the Eagles had three consecutive 20-win seasons. The 2003-04 team was 23-8, the 2004-05 team was 20-9 and the 2005-06 team finished 21-11. AU went to the NCAA playoffs in 2003-04 and 2005-06…AU leads the GLIAC in scoring (78.4 ppg.), field goal percentage (47.6), three-point percentage (38.9), free throw percentage (76.2), rebound margin (+12.7), assists per game (18.5), turnovers per game (12.1), personal fouls per game (11.3) and points allowed per game (55.1). AU is second in three-point field goals per game (6.7) and opponent three-point percentage (27.5)…last year's GLIAC title was the first in the program's history. AU went to the NCAA Division II playoffs for the third time in school history and reached the NCAA Championships for the first time. AU lost in overtime to Shaw, 88-82 in the national title game…four starters are back from last year's team.
Streaks and Strings
The Ashland University Eagles have some impressive streaks. A list of those can be found below.
Consecutive Regular Season Wins – 44
Consecutive GLIAC Regular Season Wins – 33
Consecutive Victories Against GLIAC Teams – 34
Consecutive Home Victories – 32
NCAA Rankings
Ashland is ranked in the nation's Top 20 in a number of statistical categories. That information can be found below.
Won-Lost Percentage - 1st/1.000
Personal Fouls Per Game - 1st/11.3
Assist-Turnover Ratio - 1st/1.54
Rebound Margin - 2nd/12.7
Turnovers Per Game - 3rd/11.9
Scoring Margin - 4th/23.1
Assists Per Game - 6th/18.5
Scoring Offense - 8th/78.3
3-Pt. FG Percentage - 9th/38.5
Free Throw Percentage - 20th/75.8
Eagles To Watch
Kari Daugherty (Fresno, Ohio/Dayton), AU's 6-2 senior forward, leads the nation in rebounding (15.0) and double-doubles (17). Daugherty has the NCAA Division II record for consecutive double-doubles - 34. That streak ended last week against Findlay when Daugherty suffered a knee injury and was limited to 16 minutes. She had 10 points and seven rebounds against the Oilers. Daugherty is second in the country in scoring (22.5 ppg.). A year ago, she led the country in rebounding and double-doubles. Daugherty is out indefinitely with a knee injury.
In her AU career, Daugherty has six games of 20+ rebounds, including a school-record 24 at Lake Erie last season. This season, Daugherty has three, 19-rebound games.
Daugherty owns the only triple-double in school history. That came last season against Findlay (Jan. 5) when she had 12 points, 15 rebounds and 11 assists.
Daugherty is the GLIAC leader in scoring and rebounding. She's third in assist-turnover ratio (2.0), fourth in assists per game (3.7), sixth in three-point percentage (41.9) and field goal percentage (52.6) and 13th in steals per game (1.7).
The senior has been named the GLIAC South Division player of the week five times this season and eight times in her career. Daugherty is featured this week on NCAA On Campus. That NCAA production profiles Daugherty and her family, plus AU men's basketball player Evan Yates.
Senior forward Daiva Gerbec (Dublin, Ohio/Bishop Watterson) is second on the team in scoring (14.2 ppg.) and rebounding (8.7 rpg.). Gerbec is seventh in the country in field goal percentage (59.1). She is second in the GLIAC in field goal percentage and 12th in scoring.
Gerbec is this week's GLIAC South Division player of the week. This is the second time this season Gerbec has received that honor. In two games last week, Gerbec averaged 16.0 ppg., 17.0 rpg., and shot 60 percent from the floor. Gerbec had 12 points and 19 rebounds against Findlay. That was her sixth double-double of the season.
Gerbec missed all of last season due to injury. Two years ago she was a first team All-GLIAC choice and an honorable mention All-American.
Junior guard Alyssa Miller (Zanesville, Ohio/Tri-Valley) is third in the country in assist-turnover ratio (2.61) and 18th in assists per game (5.2). She leads the GLIAC in assists per game and is second in assist-turnover ratio.
In her career, Miller has 372 assists. She is second in career assists at AU, trailing only Sara Whitis (447, 1995-98). Miller had 13 assists in the two games last week. She had seven assists against Hillsdale, which ties her season high. Miller is third on the team in scoring (10.2).
Sophomore guard Taylor Woods (Wadsworth, Ohio) is fourth on the team in scoring (9.5). Woods scored a career-high 21 points against Michigan Tech (Jan. 5). Woods is seventh in the league in assists per game (3.5) and is tied for ninth in assist-turnover ratio (1.4).
Senior guard Lindsay Tenyak (Wadsworth, Ohio) has a team-leading 40 three-point field goals. Tenyak is fifth in the GLIAC in three-point percentage (42.1) and is eighth in assist-turnover ratio (1.5). She is 13th in the conference in field goal percentage (48.8). Tenyak is second in career treys (170) at Ashland. The all-time leader is Karen Bley (202, 1994-97).
Junior guard Noelle Yoder (Millersburg, Ohio/Bowling Green) is the GLIAC leader in three-point field goal percentage (40.7/22-of-47).
Head Coach Sue Ramsey
Ramsey is in her 18th year at Ashland. Her record at Ashland is 306-198 (.607) and her career record as a college head coach is 401-326 (.552). Ramsey is the program's career leader in wins. She was the 2012 GLIAC coach of the year and the WBCA NCAA Division II national coach of the year. She also received the WBCA's Carol Eckman Award in 2012.
Ramsey was the head coach at the University of Dayton for eight years before arriving at Ashland. Ramsey is also AU's senior women's administrator and she is an assistant athletic director.
About the Panthers (4-11/1-11, GLIAC)
The ODU coaching staff should know the Eagles inside and out. ODU head coach Lynsey Warren is an AU grad (2008) and she played volleyball and basketball at AU. She also worked as an assistant coach under Ramsey.
The Panthers have lost five straight games and are in eighth place in the GLIAC South Division. Last week, they lost to Walsh, 69-59 and Malone, 82-72. ODU's last win came on Jan. 3, at Lake Superior State, 63-61. The Panthers haven't won at home since Nov. 13, when they held off Salem International, 49-47. Warren is coaching a team that doesn't have a senior on the roster. Warren was named the ODU head coach in the fall. She was the program's top assistant in 2011-12.
Kacee Hockenberry, a 5-5 sophomore guard, is fourth in the league in steals per game (2.2), seventh in free throw percentage (85.0) and ninth in scoring (15.3 ppg.). Katelyn Stuckey, a 5-10 junior forward, is averaging 10.7 ppg., and 4.8 rpg.
Melissa Scherpenberg, a 6-1 freshman forward, is averaging 10.3 rpg., and 9.3 ppg. The rookie is one of five players in the GLIAC averaging double digits in rebounds (she's fifth in the conference in rebounds per game). She had 18 points and 12 rebounds against Malone. Scherpenberg is third in the GLIAC in blocked shots per game (1.5).
Rachel Torey, a 5-6 freshman guard, is sixth in the conference in steals per game (2.0) and 12th in assists per game (2.9).
Eagles-Panthers
The teams have played 13 times and Ashland has won 12 of those meetings. A year ago, the Eagles won at ODU, 83-62 and at Kates Gymnasium, 72-50. In the game at Ashland, senior guard-forward Ashley Dorner (Bellville, Ohio/Clear Fork) had 16 points and 10 rebounds. In Columbus, the Eagles shot 55.7 percent (34-of-61) from the floor. The teams were tied, 34-34 at halftime. Daugherty had 26 points, 16 rebounds and seven assists. Dorner had another strong game with 20 points and five rebounds. She canned 10-of-14 field goal attempts.
AU has won five consecutive games against ODU. Under Ramsey, Ashland is 4-0 against the Panthers. The last time the Panthers got the better of the Eagles was in 1984-85, 72-58.
About the Dragons (8-8/5-7 GLIAC)
A year ago the Dragons narrowly missed the NCAA Division II playoffs, going 21-7 (14-5 GLIAC) and reaching the GLIAC playoffs. Last year's team set a school, single-season record for wins. Some of the firepower from that team is gone, including all-conference guard Mandy Jaeb. But there will be no tears shed for the Dragons in 2012-13.
Tiffin and Malone currently share third place in the GLIAC South Division. The Dragons are 3-3 in their last six games. Last week, the Dragons downed Malone, 56-43 and Walsh, 71-65. Tiffin is 3-5 on the road this season.
Jessica Harris, a 6-1 senior forward who is a two-time second team All-GLIAC pick, is the GLIAC's third leading rebounder (10.7 rpg.). Harris averages 10.9 ppg., and is fourth in the league in blocked shots per game (1.5). A year ago she averaged 10.5 ppg., and 9.3 rpg. Harris had 14 points and 15 rebounds in last week's game against Malone.
Stephanie Kelly, a 5-3 senior guard, averages 8.9 ppg. She's second in the GLIAC in free throw percentage (90/45-of-50). Kelly is third in assists per game (3.8) and is 10th in three-point field goal percentage (37.0). Against Walsh she had 12 points, six rebounds and five assists.
Jordan Fraley, a 5-9 freshman guard, has developed into a productive player off the bench. She scored 23 points against Walsh and is averaging 9.2 ppg.
Pam Oswald is the architect of this Tiffin turnaround. She's in her sixth season as Tiffin's head coach. Oswald is a 1995 Malone graduate. Her background includes stints as an assistant coach at Kent State and Wheeling Jesuit.
Eagles-Dragons
The Eagles hold a 13-1 edge in the series. A year ago, AU won at Kates Gymnasium, 90-50 and at Tiffin, 77-75 in overtime. In the game at Ashland, Daugherty had 25 points and 20 rebounds. At Tiffin, Daugherty had 26 points and 12 boards. Tiffin led, 38-30 at halftime. Harris had 10 points, 10 rebounds and five assists for the Dragons. In the game at Ashland, the Eagles were ranked sixth in the country. The win was their 20th straight.
Tiffin's lone win in the series came on Feb. 5, 2011, 71-54. The game was played at Tiffin's Gillmore Center. Gerbec paced the Eagles with 17 points and 13 rebounds.
Up Next
The Eagles play once next week – hosting Lake Erie on Saturday (Feb. 2, 3 p.m.).
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