Box Score In a Fortune 500 company, power normally resides in the inner circle.
In college basketball today, authority is often found outsider the circle, specifically outside the arc.
Saturday (Feb. 9) at Kates Gymnasium, the Ashland University men's basketball team used a bunch of outsiders – four players with two or more three-pointers – in a 79-62 victory over Malone. This was AU's most balanced game of the season offensively. That diversity allowed the Eagles to grab an early lead and run away to its fourth consecutive win. All four of those victories have been at Kates Gymansium where the Eagles are 9-3 this season.
Thanks to this current run, AU is back in the GLIAC postseason picture. The Eagles are 9-11, 7-10 in conference play. It's going to take continued good play on Ashland's part and some breaks falling the right away in games the Eagles have no control over for AU to play beyond the regular season. Still, that possibility exists thanks to this surge. The key is if AU can maintain the level of play it has shown at home when it goes to Findlay (Feb. 14) and Hillsdale (Feb. 16) next week.
"The guys have been more aggressive in our own gym," noted AU head coach John Ellenwood. "We have to do that on the road. It's a different environment on the road and we haven't been successful. Findlay's probably the toughest road game in our conference. But we have to stay aggressive."
The Eagles had that mentality against Malone (11-10/8-9). The Eagles looked to run when the opportunity presented itself and they showed no reluctance to shoot from long range. The Eagles went 10-for-19 (52. 6 percent) on three-point tries, 7-of-10 (70 percent) in the first half when they built a 45-28 lead. The Pioneers got no closer than 16 points in the second half.
Sophomore guard Brook Turson (Plymouth, Ohio/Columbus State) was 3-for-5 from three-point distance and tied for the team high with 13 points. Sophomore guard Cole Krizancic (Mentor, Ohio), junior forward Will Evans (Lexington, Ky./Christian Academy) and redshirt sophomore guard DaWuan Thomas (Dayton, Ohio/Trotwood-Madison) had two triples each.
A large part of that three-point success can be traced to a guy who hasn't made a trey this season – senior forward Evan Yates (Cincinnati, Ohio/Walnut Hills). His presence forces teams to sell out inside and that leaves open spaces on the floor. Yates posted his third consecutive double-double Saturday with 13 points and 11 rebounds.
"We're passing the ball better," explained Ellenwood, when asked why AU is shooting so much better this week (46.8 percent, 22-of-47) from three-point range. "I know it sounds simple, but we're making the pass where guys can catch the ball and release it. We're doing a better job of putting our passes in places where guys can get it in rhythm."
Malone could never find its rhythm for a couple of reason. The Eagles played inspired defense and the Pioneers were without guard Isiah Elliott. He averages 19.2 ppg., and is among the league leaders in assists and steals. In the first meeting between these teams he had 22 points, five rebounds and five assists. Elliott's out with a knee injury and the Pioneers miss him.
"They're struggling to figure it out," said Ellenwood. "That's tough losing a player of his caliber, if he's not the best guard in the league he's one of the best. That affects you. That's like us losing Evan Yates. But in this league, you have injuries and no one feels sorry for you."
In the first game this year between these two, which Malone won, 73-65, Cory Veldhuizen had 27 points and he was 7-for-9 from three-point distance. AU muffled him this time, holding him to two points. Veldhuizen was 1-for-6 from the field (0-for-2 on three-pointers).
Fueled by Yates, AU led in points in the paint, 26-16. AU out-rebounded the Pioneers, 35-23. That ties AU's best effort on the boards against a GLIAC team this season. The Eagles were also plus 12 against Findlay.
There were times when both teams struggled to get a handle on the basketball, Malone had 16 turnovers and AU had 15.
AU got 11 points each from Evans and sophomore forward Paul Honigford (Sugarcreek, Ohio/Garaway). Honigford also had seven rebounds. Senior guard David Harris (Cincinnati, Ohio/Florida) had 10 points. Senior forward Chris Meyer (Kenston, Ohio/Hiram) had five points and four rebounds in 10 minutes and earned words of praise from Ellenwood.
"Chris Meyer had a great game," Ellenwood said. "We could rest Evan Yates a little bit. That's big coming down the stretch."
Christian Graves led the Pioneers with 16 points. Stephen O'Daniel III had 14 points.
AU
MBB/ALK
