Box Score The 16th-ranked Ashland University men's basketball team started a key Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference road trip with an impressive 91-74 win at Northwood on Saturday (Jan. 2).
The Eagles improve to 10-1 overall and 4-1 in the GLIAC, and are alone in first place in the GLIAC South Division, thanks to outscoring the Timberwolves (7-4, 3-2) 48-25 in the second half.
Ashland used numerous career-high efforts to win on Saturday. Junior guard Boo Osborne posted college bests with 23 points and 11 rebounds in his first AU double-double. Senior center Michael Hundley also had collegiate single-game bests in both points (12) and rebounds (eight).
Sophomore forward Marsalis Hamilton added 17 points, four rebounds, three assists and two steals, while junior Wendell Davis posted 15 points, eight boards and five assists.
The 91 points were a season best, and AU's best single-game showing since a 99-68 home win against Ohio Mid-Western on Dec. 20, 2014.
Ashland shot a season-high 57.6 percent from the field, including a scorching 65.4 percent in the second half. The Eagles also turned the ball over just a season-low five times.
Trailing 18-10 with 14:18 left until halftime, the Eagles began an early comeback and cut their deficit to 26-24 at the media timeout with 8:16 remaining to the break. Davis put AU ahead 27-26 with 7:51 to the half on a 3-point field goal.
At the final media timeout of the first half, Ashland and Northwood were tied at 34. A nip-and-tuck first 20 minutes ended with the Timberwolves scoring the last six points and leading 49-43.
Two Hundley free throws re-tied the contest at 51 just 3:01 into the second half, and with 14:49 left in regulation, Ashland had a 58-54 lead thanks to a 15-5 run. Then, with 9:19 left in the game, an Osborne triple put the Eagles up 71-61.
The Eagles led 81-64 after yet another Osborne 3, and went on from there.
Saturday's game featured eight ties and 18 lead changes.
Ashland will finish its back-to-back GLIAC Michigan road trip on Sunday (Jan. 3) at 4 p.m. at No. 18-ranked Lake Superior State (10-1, 5-0).
EAGLE NUGGETS: The Eagles' shooting percentage was their highest in a game since Jan. 30, 2013 at home against Ohio Dominican (68.6)…Ashland's five turnovers are its fewest in a contest since Jan. 26, 2008 at Lake Superior State (five)…AU has won as many road games (12) in its last 19 games away from Kates Gymnasium as it did in the previous 50.
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