Box Score Ashland University head men's basketball coach John Ellenwood didn't venture into Amish Country this week and go shopping at the nearest saddle and tack shop. Based on the last month of play, Ellenwood didn't believe his team needed blinders.
Ellenwood's Eagles proved him right on Saturday (Mar. 2) at Lake Erie. The Eagles ended the regular season with a 64-53 win over the Storm. The victory secured an above .500 record for the regular season – Ashland is 13-12. The triumph gives AU a 12-12 GLIAC mark.
This is where the part about the blinders becomes important. Ashland went into Saturday's game needing a win and losses by Lake Superior State and Saginaw Valley State to slip into the eight-team GLIAC playoffs. In that scenario, it would have been easy for the Eagles to overlook their part of the equation. (Lake Superior State defeated Wayne State, 72-70 on Saturday. SVSU was playing Northwood late Saturday afternoon).
Instead, the Eagles ran their winning streak to four games. They won for the eighth time in the last nine games and won their third consecutive road game after starting the season 0-9 away from home. The 51 points allowed is the fewest the Eagles have permitted since drubbing Ferris State, 71-49 at Kates Gymnasium on Dec. 1.
Ashland took a 31-26 halftime lead and had a 46-30 lead with 14:53 to go in regulation. The Storm rallied to slice that AU advantage down to 54-53 with 3:43 to play in regulation.
After an AU timeout, sophomore guard Cole Krizancic (Mentor, Ohio) drilled a three-pointer for a 57-53 Ashland lead. That was the start of a 10-0 AU run. The Eagles scored the game's final 10 points.
Lake Erie's comeback was slowed by poor shooting. The Storm (8-17/5-16 GLIAC) was 6-of-13 (46.2 percent) at the free throw line and was 3-for-11 (27.3 percent) from three-point range. AU also limited second shots by out-rebounding the Storm, 37-29.
Junior forward Will Evans (Lexington, Ky.Christian Academy) led AU with 17 points and 11 rebounds. Senior forward Evan Yates (Cincinnati, Ohio/Walnut Hills) moved into fifth place in career scoring at AU with 16 points. He also grabbed six rebounds.
Krizancic and fellow guard DaWuan Thomas (Dayton, Ohio/Trotwood-Madison) scored 14 points each. Krizancic, playing close to his hometown of Mentor, Ohio, was 4-for-6 on three-point attempts.
Most of LEC's firepower came from the backcourt. Guard Riley Thomas had a team-high 16 points and his backcourt mate, Tom Parker, scored 12 points.
The win gives the Eagles a sweep of the season series with the Storm. Ashland won the first meeting this season, 81-61. Saturday's win gives the Eagles a 16-1 lead in the all-time series.
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