Thursday, Jan. 16, 5:30 p.m.
Walsh (5-9, 1-7 GLIAC) at Ashland (7-5, 5-3 GLIAC)
Kates Gymnasium, Ashland, Ohio
Saturday, Jan. 18, 1 p.m.
Malone (9-5, 4-4 GLIAC) at Ashland (7-5, 5-3 GLIAC)
Kates Gymnasium, Ashland Ohio
(Both games will be broadcast live on WNCO-AM 1340 with Matt Brubaker at the microphone. The campus radio station, WRDL, will broadcast only Thursday's game against Walsh.)
Setting the Scene
Ashland begins divisional play against the two newest schools in the conference in Walsh and Malone. Ashland was picked to win the GLIAC South Division in the preseason and currently has a one-game lead in the division over the Malone Pioneers. Last week, the Eagles engineered an upset win against #24 Northern Michigan, 74-60 before falling to Michigan Tech, 66-61 last Saturday. The Eagles have won or shared each of the last three GLIAC South Division titles.
About the Eagles
Over the last two years, the Eagles are 25-1 against the GLIAC South Division and they have won 15 consecutive regular season home games against division opponents. The last time the Eagles fell at home to a division rival was in overtime on Jan. 29, 2011 to Findlay, 81-73…Ashland had 19 steals in two games last week, its most in any two-game stretch this season. Over the last three weekends in GLIAC play, Ashland has gone 1-1 in its matchups. The only weekend the Eagles swept their opponents was during the opening weekend with road wins at Grand Valley State and Ferris State…in Ashland's 14-point win against the Wildcats, the Eagles exploded for 44 second half points after the two teams were tied, 30-30 at halftime. In the second half, Ashland's defense held Northern Michigan to 8-for-30 shooting from the field (26.7 percent) and forced 13 turnovers. The Eagles had a season-high 11 steals in the game and despite being out-rebounded, 45-34, three players grabbed at least five boards…in the five-point defeat against Michigan Tech, the Eagles trailed by four points at halftime and by as many as nine points in the second half. Ashland came back to take a one-point lead with 6:26 to play, but after pulling within two at 61-59, went 0-for-5 from the field over the final 2:16. The Eagles scored 34 points in the paint and had four players score in double figures. The team shot 42.4 percent (25-for-59) from the field but failed to make a three-point field goal (0-for-5). The last time Ashland played a regular season game without making a three-point field goal was on Jan. 28, 2006, when the Eagles lost at Grand Valley State, 74-59. Seven days before that, Ashland failed to make a triple on the road at Saginaw Valley State, but won, 71-68.
How They Rank
Category GLIAC
Free Throw Percentage --- 78.5% 1st (4th in nation)
Turnovers/Game --- 13.2 1st (10th in nation)
Assists/Game --- 14.5 2nd
Field Goal Percentage --- 44.9% 3rd
Field Goals Made --- 26.6 3rd
Points/Game --- 72.2 6th
3-Pt. Field Goal Percentage --- 34.1% 6th
Blocks/Game --- 3.5 6th
Points Allowed --- 71.7 14th
Opp. 3-Pt. Field Goal Percentage --- 35.6% 15th
Rebounds/Game --- 33.6 15th
Rebounding Margin --- (-5.9) 15th
Offensive Rebounds --- 8.4 16th
Eagles to Watch
Senior guard Alyssa Miller is expected to return this weekend after missing the last six games with a left hand injury. She hasn't played in enough games to qualify among the GLIAC leaders, but her numbers would lead the GLIAC in minutes played (37.0 mpg.) and assists (4.8 apg.). She would rank fourth in the league in assist-turnover-ratio (2.4), eighth in scoring (15.5 ppg.), and 10th in field goal percentage (50.7 percent)… Miller is Ashland's all-time leader with 492 career assists and set an AU single-season record with 192 last year…Miller recorded a school-record 15 assists at Tiffin (Feb. 23, 2013)…the Eagles are 86-9 with Miller in the starting lineup and 2-4 this season without her.
Junior guard Taylor Woods is the GLIAC leader in minutes played (35.2 mpg.) and the third leading scorer in the conference, averaging 18.2 ppg. She has scored in double figures in nine consecutive games and 29 of her last 33 dating back to last season. She has scored 20 or more points six times this year. Woods is sixth in the league in three-pointers (26) and 12th in three-point field goal percentage (38.2 percent)…she has played 40 minutes in each of the last two games and is averaging 38.7 mpg. over her last three games…in the upset win against Northern Michigan, Woods scored 26 points and had five steals, one shy of her career high set against Northwood on Dec. 19, 2011…on the road at NYIT, Woods had her best shooting performance of the season, shooting 69.2 percent (9-of-13) from the field en route to a 21-point performance…at Ferris State, Woods set a new career high with 34 points, 29 of those coming in the second half. She went 10-for-18 from the field and made five three-pointers. She also grabbed seven rebounds and dished out a team-high six assists…against Indianapolis on Nov. 17, she set an Ashland single-game record with nine three-pointers, breaking the old record of eight set by Bridget Donovan in 1999 against Mercyhurst.
Junior guard Melanie Poorman missed the Northern Michigan game but returned against Michigan Tech, scoring 13 points and grabbing eight rebounds. She is 13th in the GLIAC in rebounding (6.2 rpg.) and 17th in total rebounds (68). She grabbed a career-high 13 boards in the win against Saginaw Valley State on Dec. 16 and has two double-digit rebounding games this year…Poorman has scored in double figures four times this season and the team is 2-2 when she scores in double figures…against NYIT, she went 5-for-5 from the floor, scoring 10 points and grabbing four rebounds…she set a career high, scoring 18 points against GVSU and recorded her first career double-double…in her last five games, Poorman is shooting 58.6 percent (17-for-29) from the field and averaging 8.8 rpg.
Sophomore guard McKenzie Miller is the team's fourth leading scorer, averaging 11.7 ppg. She has scored in double figures in six of her last eight games. The sophomore ranks 14th in the GLIAC in assists (2.7 apg.) and is 23rd in the league in scoring (11.7 ppg.)…Miller scored a career-high 17 points in AU's home win against Saginaw Valley State on Dec. 16. Against Northern Michigan, she scored 16 points and grabbed six rebounds and then tied her career high against Michigan Tech with nine rebounds. In six games without Alyssa Miller, McKenzie Miller averaged 11.3 ppg., 4.8 rpg., and 3.3 apg.
Freshman forward Suzy Wollenhaupt has been named the GLIAC South player of the week twice this season and is the team's top rebounder and second leading scorer. On offense, she ranks sixth in the GLIAC in scoring (16.6 ppg.), 13th in free-throw percentage (82.3 percent), and 16th in field goal percentage (47.1 percent). She has made 74 field goals this season, third most in the conference. Defensively, she is third in the conference in blocks (25) and fifth in rebounding (7.8 rpg.)…in four games in the month of January, she is averaging 15.5 ppg. and 8.8 rpg., and in eight games against GLIAC competition, she is averaging 19.4 ppg., 8.2 rpg., and shooting 47.6 percent (59-of-124) from the field…she recorded her second career double-double against Lake Superior State, scoring 17 points and grabbing a career-high 12 rebounds on Jan. 4.
Head Coach Sue Ramsey
Ramsey is in her 19th year at Ashland. Her record at Ashland is 331-204 (.619) and her career record as a college head is 426-332 (.562). Ramsey is the program's career leader in wins and has led AU to four postseason berths. She was named the 2012 GLIAC coach of the year and the WBCA NCAA Division II national coach of the year. She also received the WBCA's Carol Eckman Award in 2012 and in the fall, she was inducted into Miami's (Ohio) Cradle of Coaches. Ramsey has won 20 or more games five times and has two, 30-win seasons on her resume. AU has won the last two GLIAC Championships under Ramsey, the only two titles in program history. The 2011-12 team went 19-0 in the GLIAC, the only team in conference history to complete a conference schedule unblemished.
Ramsey vs. Walsh: 5-1
Ramsey vs. Malone: 2-0
About Walsh (5-9, 1-7 GLIAC)
The Cavaliers come to Kates Gymnasium trying to end a five-game losing streak. Their last win came on Dec. 19 against Saint Joseph's (Ind.), 77-64. The only conference win the Cavaliers have came at home against Lake Superior State on Dec. 14, 76-69…in the last five games, Walsh is averaging 65.8 ppg., and is shooting 36 percent from the field…the Cavaliers come into this weekend putting up the most shots in the league, averaging 61.9 attempts a game, but only shooting 39.2 percent from the field. Walsh ranks 12th in field goal percentage and ninth in scoring (70.5 ppg.). The Cavs are one of the best in the conference in helpers, averaging 14.3 apg. On the defensive end, Walsh is third in the league in steals (9.1 spg.).
Sophomore guard Kelsey Funderburgh is the team's top scorer and ranks ninth in the conference, scoring 14.6 ppg. She leads the GLIAC in three-pointers (31) and ranks 24th in the league in three-point field goal percentage (31.3 percent). Defensively, she is one of the best in terms of steals, ranking second with 28 thefts…she set career highs in points (29) and threes (6) at Michigan Tech on Dec. 7.
Senior forward Tara Gallupe has started the last three games for the Cavaliers and is averaging 24.3 mpg., and 14.7 ppg. during that stretch. She is the team's second leading scorer, putting up 12.9 ppg., which is 18th in the GLIAC. She ranks eighth in field goal percentage (53.1 percent)…Gallupe scored a season-high 25 points on 9-of-19 shooting from the field on Dec. 12 against Northwood.
Junior forward Whitney Dabbelt is seventh in the GLIAC in rebounding, averaging 7.1 rpg. She has dominated the offensive glass this year, grabbing 43 boards, which ranks second in the conference…she played her best game of the year against Saint Joseph's (Ind.), recording a double-double with 19 points and 12 rebounds…has three games this year with 10 or more rebounds and had a season-best 13 boards against Lake Superior State.
Maria Marchesano is in her first year at Walsh after spending the last two years as the head coach at Urbana. She is the eighth head coach in program history. She took over an Urbana team that was 2-8 in the middle of the 2011-12 season and helped turn the team around that season, going 12-7 after being named interim head coach, including a 9-1 mark at home.
Eagles-Cavaliers
Ashland leads the all-time series with Walsh, 7-5. Ashland has won the last four meetings against the Cavaliers and hasn't lost since the 2002-03 season, 65-61. Last year the Eagles and Cavaliers played for the first time as conference opponents and the Eagles won both games. In the first game on the road, Ashland led 41-19 at halftime and finished the game with only four turnovers on the way to a 79-53 win. The Eagles scored 20 points off of 21 Cavalier turnovers and out-rebounded Walsh, 50-39. Ashley Dorner had a double-double, scoring 20 points and grabbing 10 rebounds, eight on the offensive glass.
At Kates Gymnasium, the Eagles were victorious, 76-58 as the team made 28-of-57 shots from the field (49.1 percent) and four players scored in double figures. Daiva Gerbec led AU with 23 points and 15 rebounds, Alyssa Miller had 10 points, four assists, two blocks and two steals, and Woods finished with 13 points and four rebounds. The Eagles held a 20-9 advantage in points off of turnovers and a 14-2 edge in second chance points.
About Malone (9-5, 4-4 GLIAC)
The Pioneers play at Lake Erie on Thursday. They begin the week with a two-game winning streak and are trying to find success on the road. Malone is 6-1 at home this year, but 3-4 outside of Canton. Malone scores 73.4 ppg., at home this season but just 68.0 ppg., on the road. Despite their two-game winning streak, the Pioneers are scoring just 61.8 ppg. in the month of January, 10 points less than their average …Malone has been a consistent force on the boards, out-rebounding its opponents by nine boards a game, which is the best mark in the GLIAC. The Pioneers are second overall in the league, pulling down 42.3 rpg. The Pioneers also lead the conference in scoring defense, surrendering 63.1 ppg. Offensively, Malone scores 71.6 ppg., and is sixth in the GLIAC in field goal percentage (42.5 percent).
Junior guard Selana Reale leads the GLIAC in three-point field goal percentage (50 percent) and has made the second most triples this season (31). Reale has made at least one triple in 13 of 14 games this season and has connected on at least two in 11 games this year. Reale ranks 11th in scoring (14.2 ppg.) and 12th in free throw percentage (82.6 percent)…her best performance came against Northern Michigan on Dec. 7, as she scored a season-high 26 points on 8-of-12 shooting from the floor and 4-of-5 from deep.
Senior guard Sydnee Penn is the team's third leading scorer and top rebounder, averaging 10.4 ppg., and 6.4 rpg. Penn ranks 11th in the GLIAC in rebounding, second in steals (28) and 17th in assists (2.6 apg.)…she is coming off her best game of the year, scoring 21 points and grabbing nine rebounds against Grand Valley State in a 69-52 win at home.
Jason Mishler begins his third year as the Pioneers head coach. He currently owns a 35-32 record at Malone and led his team to a 10-12 conference record last season. Mishler graduated from Malone in 2005 and was a three-year starter at point guard for the Pioneers.
Eagles-Pioneers
Ashland leads the all-time series with Malone, 9-7. Before the two meetings in the regular season last year, the Eagles and Pioneers hadn't met since the 1991-92 season when Ashland won, 70-38. Last year on the road, the Eagles trailed for the first time all season at the intermission, 33-32. Ashland kept its unbeaten season alive winning, 81-57 thanks to a second half that began with the Eagles going on a 20-3 run. The Eagles finished the half shooting 16-of-28 from the field (57.1 percent) and finished the game going 18-for-18 at the free throw line. Kari Daugherty had 25 points, 12 rebounds, and five assists in the second half alone, on her way to a career-high 39 points to go along with 19 rebounds. Daugherty's point total was the second most points scored in program history. Gerbec finished with 18 points and eight rebounds. Logan Pastor had 24 points on 11-for-18 shooting, but was held to just four points in the second half.
In the second game at Kates Gymnasium, the first half was a different, more successful story for the Eagles. Ashland won, 75-55 thanks to, in large part, because of a first half where AU shot 18-for-29 from the floor (62.1 percent) and led 50-33 at halftime. AU's starting backcourt of Woods, Alyssa Miller and Lindsay Tenyak combined to score 52 points on 18-of-30 shooting from the floor (60 percent). Woods scored a game-high 22 points, making five triples. Tenyak scored 17 points and made four threes, and Alyssa Miller had 13 points and seven assists. Pastor led the Pioneers with 14 points, nine rebounds, and four assists…the last time Malone defeated the Eagles was during the 1986-87 season, when the Pioneers won, 71-67.
Up Next
Ashland will go on the road for two games against Findlay (Jan. 23, 6 p.m.) and Hillsdale (Jan. 25, 1 p.m.).
AU
WBB/MB
