Box Score There are many rewards for winning, and Ashland University's women's basketball team earned another one on Tuesday (March 1) night.
The No. 5-ranked Eagles will play host to the 2016 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Tournament Final Four following a 68-54 win over Northern Michigan on Tuesday in a tourney quarterfinal at Kates Gymnasium.
"Obviously, we thought our first quarter was excellent. A ton of energy," said Ashland head coach Robyn Fralick of her team's 18-point lead after the game's first 10 minutes. "Obviously, very, very productive. We know that's an area of growth is to maintain, to have the same mentality the entire game."
Coach Fralick Post-Game Comments
AU is 28-1, has won seven games in a row, has won 27 straight at home and will play Walsh (20-8) on Saturday (March 5). In the other GLIAC Tournament semifinal on Saturday, Grand Valley State (21-8) will play Saginaw Valley State (21-7).
Times of both semifinals have yet to be determined.
The Wildcats' season ends at 13-16.
Sophomore forward Laina Snyder led the way for the Eagles with 16 points, nine rebounds, four assists and seven steals.
"I think we all just came in with a 'we're-not-going-to-lose' mentality," Snyder said. "It shows up on my stat line, but the group mentality of we're not going to lose is what really won us the game.
"Kates is amazing. Our fans are yelling at us if we're doing good, and yelling at us if we're doing bad. They keep us on our toes. And then, now with the Bird Cage, all the students supporting us, it's just a great atmosphere, and it's definitely a home-court advantage."
Snyder has scored 49 points in two career GLIAC Tournament quarterfinals. She scored a career-high 33 a season ago at home against Northwood.
Junior point guard Alex Henning posted 12 points, while sophomore forward Julie Worley came off the bench for 11 points and four boards.
Ashland had a decided 39-25 rebounding advantage, and had 25 assists on 27 made field goals. The Eagles also turned the ball over just 10 times – their fifth-lowest total of 2015-16.
"Our assist-to-turnover ratio was really good, but I thought it was excellent at halftime (17-to-3)," Fralick said. "We felt like, in the second half, that was something we got a little bit away from. Obviously, to finish the game with 25 assists and 10 turnovers is something we're really proud of."
Ashland set the tone immediately, going out to a 17-7 lead in the game's first six minutes. The Eagles led 26-8 after the first quarter and 44-24 at halftime, and didn't look back.
The Eagles are 19-14 with two championships all-time in the GLIAC Tournament, and 4-3 against the Wildcats in conference tourney play.
THE NOTEBOOK: Ashland's 15-0 home record in 2015-16 is third-best in program history (20-0 in 2012-13, 19-0 in 2011-12)...The Eagles are 85-10 (.895) at home since the start of 2010-11…Ashland is 160-32 (.833) in the last six seasons…Snyder, Daugherty and/or Worley have led or co-led Ashland in rebounds in 62 of 63 career games.
AU
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