Box Score It should come as no surprise that the AU backcourt is going to be front and center this entire women's basketball season.
Saturday (Dec. 7) at Ferris State, junior guard Taylor Woods scored a career-high 34 points and senior guard Alyssa Miller hit for a career-best 24 points as the Eagles erased a 10-point halftime deficit to win, 97-91. The win is Ashland's third straight and gives the Eagles a 4-1 record, 2-0 in the GLIAC.
Woods scored 24 second half points and 16 of Miller's points came after the break. As a team, the Eagles shot 65.5 percent (19-of-29) from the field in the second half. AU made 19-of-20 free throw attempts (95 percent) in the second half and for the game, went 21-of-22 (95.5 percent). Ashland shot 56.5 percent (36-of-62) from the floor for the game. The Eagles are averaging 78.4 ppg.
While Woods and Miller enjoyed big games, they weren't alone in this effort. Freshman forward Suzy Wollenhaupt had 16 points, nine rebounds and two blocked shots. She scored 16 points in the second half. Guard Melanie Poorman had 10 points and grabbed five rebounds. The only starter who didn't break into double figures - McKenzie Miller - narrowly missed. She had nine points.
The Eagles broke this game open by outscoring the Bulldogs (1-3/1-1 GLIAC), 62-46 over the final 20 minutes. The first half was a back-and-forth affair. With the scored tied, 31-31 and 5:10 to go before halftime, the 'Dogs went on a 10-4 run to take a 10-point halftime lead.
FSU maintained the lead for much of the second half. AU kept creeping closer as the minutes ticked by but couldn't get the lead until with 9:25 to play in regulation, Miller buried a jumper and Ashland led, 69-68. That was the beginning of an 11-2 run that gave the Eagles an 80-70 advantage with 6:15 to go. Ferris State got no closer than four points the remainder of the game.
The Eagles have struggled to hold their own on the glass in the early part of the season but against the Bulldogs, they held a 35-28 edge. There were times in this game when there weren't many rebounds to get. FSU was 20-of-23 (87 percent) at the free throw line and connected on 15-of-29 (51.7 percent) three-point tries.
As well as the Bulldogs shot, they couldn't match the pace Woods set. She was 10-of-18 from the field and 5-of-11 from three-point distance. She was 9-of-10 at the free throw line. All of her free throw attempts came in the second half. Woods is averaging 21.0 ppg., and she's shooting 40 percent (18-of-45) on three-point tries.
Woods also had seven rebounds. Miller had five assists.
Guard Sarah DeShone had 22 points, six rebounds and seven assists to lead FSU. She was 5-of-9 on three-point shots. Dena Droste had 19 points and was on target with 5-of-10 three-point attempts. Christina Branch scored 14 points and brought down six rebounds.
The Eagles are idle this coming week. AU's next game is Monday, Dec. 16, at Kates Gymnasium against Saginaw Valley State.
