Box Score
The Ashland University women's basketball team couldn't get over the hump on Saturday afternoon (Jan. 11) against Michigan Tech at Kates Gymnasium.
Don't be too hard on the Eagles. That hump was like Pikes Peak.
In front of the largest crowd of the season – 1,754 – and a national audience on CBS Sports Network, Michigan Tech was able to hold off the Eagles, 66-61. AU began the day in first place in the GLIAC South Division and the Huskies were the first place team in the GLIAC North. Additionally, both of these teams went to the NCAA playoffs last season and the last three NCAA Division II title games featured one of these teams.
That's why this game got selected for a national telecast. This game lived up to the pre-game billing. It was close from start to finish and featured the staples of this series – hard, aggressive defense by both teams and big plays offensively down the stretch.
The Eagles (7-5/5-3 GLIAC) received 15 points and eight rebounds from guard Melanie Poorman, who missed Thursday's game against Northern Michigan due to a concussion. Forward Suzy Wollenhaupt had 13 points and six rebounds and guard McKenzie Miller had 12 points, nine rebounds and a pair of steals. Guard Taylor Woods had 10 points.
Michigan Tech's Danielle Blake had 32 points, 20 in the second half. She was the only MTU player to reach double digits. She made 12-of-19 shots from the floor and 8-of-10 from the free throw line.
The Eagles could never wrestle the lead from MTU (10-2/8-0) until there was 6:25 left in regulation. A layup and free throw by Rachelle Morrison gave the Eagles a 53-52 lead. Twenty five seconds later, Blake buried a jumper and Tech was back on top, 54-53. Poorman made one of two free throws with 5:45 to play and the score was tied for the final time, 54-54.
MTU took the lead for good with a 5-0 run that began with a Jillian Ritchie layup with 4:54 to play. That made the score, 56-54, MTU. AU turned the ball over on its next trip and Blake converted an old-fashioned three-point play, a layup and free throw, for a 59-54 lead.
The Eagles got the margin down to two points, 61-59 with 2:16 to go, but then Blake went to work again – a layup and a free throw – and the Huskies were in front, 64-59 with 1:58 remaining. The Eagles didn't make a field goal the rest of the way, going 0-for-5.
All game long, the Eagles pushed the Huskies, but just couldn't put together a long run to grab the game's momentum. A year ago, the Eagles won three, knock-down, drag-out battles against the Huskies. That's not often done, running off a streak against a team as fundamentally sound and talented as Tech.
At halftime the Eagles trailed, 30-26. AU shot 38.7 percent (12-of-31) in the first half and was 0-for-3 from three-point range. For the first time this season, the Eagles failed to knock down a three-point field goal – they went 0-for-5.
The Eagles did play MTU even on the boards, both teams had 35 rebounds. The line was even on second chance points too – 10-10.
Michigan Tech's largest lead was nine points and that came with 14:34 to play in the game. MTU's largest lead in the first half was eight points.
This was the second of a four-game home stand for AU. This coming Thursday (Jan. 16, 5:30 p.m.), AU welcomes Walsh to town.
AU
WBKB/ALK
