Box Score
When the Ashland University women's basketball team took the floor at Kates Gymnasium on Monday (Dec. 16), it marked the first time in nearly a month that the Eagles had played at home. In more ways than one, the AU fan base needed to pay close attention to the introductions.
The team that defeated Saginaw Valley State, 84-78 on Monday looks a lot different than the one that lost to Indianapolis, 85-76 on Nov. 17. Here's the best summation of the last four weeks – this AU team seems to show a new facet with every game. Different players have assumed bigger roles. The style of play has been crisp recently and AU has shown improvement on both ends of the floor.
The win against the Cardinals was AU's fourth straight gives the Eagles a 5-1 record, 3-0 in GLIAC play. On this night, five players scored in double digits. The leader of that brigade was freshman forward Suzy Wollenhaupt, who had 23 points, 17 in the second half.
Wollenhaupt also collected eight rebounds. Junior guard Melanie Poorman yanked down a career-high 13 missed shots. Poorman has 30 rebounds over the last three games.
AU also received 17 points from guard McKenzie Miller, 12 points from guard Alyssa Miller, 11 points off the bench from guard Rachelle Morrison and 10 points from guard Taylor Woods. Alyssa Miller also had six assists and four steals and Morrison had four assists.
This was a back-and-forth affair for much of the night. The lead changed hands seven times and the score was tied six times. The Eagles had a 39-37 lead at halftime.
Ashland was finally able to get some separation from the Cardinals (4-2/2-1) with just under 10 minute remaining in regulation. With 9:36 to play, AU was ahead, 65-63. The Eagles went on a 6-0 run to take a 71-63 lead with 6:50 left. That spurt was fueled by jumpers from Woods and Alyssa Miller and a pair of McKenzie Miller free throws.
McKenzie Miller hit a jumper with 5:52 to go and AU led, 75-66. After that the Cardinals could get no closer than four points. That came with 4:56 to play. The Eagles responded with a triple by Alyssa Miller and a jumper in the key by Wollenhaupt and the Eagles had an 80-71 edge with 3:12 left in the game.
The Eagles forced 16 turnovers and led in points off of turnovers, 17-10.
SVSU guard Katelyn Carrire led all players in the game with 24 points. Guard Kristen Greene had 18 points and guard Kayla Womack had 12 points, eight rebounds and five assists.
As usual, the Eagles helped themselves in several categories. The Eagles had only nine turnovers and shot 87.5 percent (14-of-16) from the free throw line.
Neither team had a big advantage from long range. The Eagles were 6-of-16 (37.5 percent) from three-point range and SVSU was 7-of-15 (46.7 percent).
The Eagles host Wayne State on Wednesday (Dec. 18, 5:30 p.m.). Those two teams played at Kates Gymnasium in the Midwest Regional championship game last spring.
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