Box Score LINK – ASHLAND UNIVERSITY WOMEN'S BASKETBALL PAGE
Starting a western Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference road trip on Thursday (Jan. 16) night, the No. 3-ranked Ashland University women's basketball team was efficient on both ends of the floor in defeating Purdue Northwest, 82-45.
The Eagles move to 16-0 overall and 8-0 in the GLIAC, while the Pride are 4-12, 3-5.
Offensively, Ashland, which came into the game leading NCAA Division II in field-goal percentage at 51.7 and 3-point field-goal percentage at 44.4, did nothing to hurt those rankings on Thursday night. The Eagles made 57.7 percent from the floor and 11-of-14 (78.6 percent) from beyond the arc against the Pride, in addition to making all 11 attempts from the free-throw line.
Defensively, Ashland kept Purdue Northwest to 32.7 percent from the field and 1-of-10 from downtown, and turned 22 turnovers into 22 points.
Ashland, which entered Thursday as one of only four undefeated women's basketball teams in D-II (along with Drury, Lubbock Christian and Texas A&M-Commerce), now is 200 games above .500 (215-15, .935) all-time as a Top 25 team in the coaches poll.
THE MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
- Three 3-point field goals by sophomore guard Hallie Heidemann to open the game set the tone for the contest early, with Ashland going on top 9-1 in the first two minutes. Two Heidemann free throws gave her 11 points in the opening three minutes.
- Thursday's score remained 11-1 for some time, then the Eagles continued to pull away, taking a 17-4 lead through the first 10 minutes thanks to a defensive effort which kept the Pride to 1-of-12 shooting from the floor and forced seven turnovers.
- Ashland continued to stretch its advantage out, and by the second-quarter media timeout, that lead was 28-8. By halftime, the Eagles led 34-18, as 14 Purdue Northwest turnovers resulted in 12 AU points.
- Any potential second-half drama was quickly squashed by the Eagles to start the third quarter, as 14 consecutive points lifted them to a 30-point bulge at 48-18.
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
- All five Eagle starters finished in double-digit scoring, paced by Heidemann's 20 points, as she made six all of her 3-point attempts (which were all of her field-goal attempts, as well) and both free throws. She added four assists and three rebounds.
- Senior forward Sara Loomis ended with 16 points, six rebounds and six blocked shots. Loomis moves up to 14th place on Ashland's all-time scoring list with 1,227 career points.
- Junior forward Karlee Pireu, senior point guard Renee Stimpert and senior guard Jodi Johnson all finished with 10 points in the victory, with Stimpert adding six assists and Johnson pilfering five steals. Stimpert moves into 22nd place on AU's all-time scoring list at 1,050 career points.
- Ashland continues to be undefeated all-time against Purdue Northwest (5-0).
- The Eagles have won 23 straight regular-season games.
UP NEXT
The finale of the GLIAC roadie on Saturday (Jan. 18) at 2 p.m. against North Division-leading Parkside.
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