Box Score The Ashland University men's basketball team scored the first 19 points against Davenport and never trailed on its way to a 66-56 road win on Thursday (Feb. 6) night in Grand Rapids, Mich.
Senior guard Rodrick Caldwell was electric, scoring 17 points in the first 11 minutes of the game and finishing with a career-high 31 points. He tied a school record with nine 3-pointers, a mark that had not been reached since Rob Wininger did it in a win over Mercyhurst on Jan. 18, 1997.
Six of his triples came in the first half with three coming in the Eagles' 19-0 run to start the game.
The Eagles (13-9, 6-8 GLIAC) have now won five straight games and six of their last seven as they head into a Saturday showdown at No. 15 Grand Valley State.
Davenport (16-8, 8-6 GLIAC) countered the Eagles' run with a 10-0 run of its own, but Ashland scored the next eight points to take a 27-10 lead with eight minutes left in the first half.
Caldwell hit another 3-pointer with 4:53 left in the half to stretch the Eagles' lead to 32-17. Senior center Drew Noble's layup was the last basket of the half and gave Ashland a 36-23 lead at the break.
Another 3-pointer by Caldwell with 16:46 remaining gave the Eagles a 44-29 lead, and he hit another to stretch the margin to 58-44 with 6:22 left. The Panthers had their deficit down to nine, 62-53, with two minutes left, but Caldwell's ninth triple all but iced the game.
Redshirt-junior wing Aaron Thompson was the only other Ashland player in double figures with 19 points on 7-for-11 shooting. Noble, who missed both of last week's games with an injury, added eight points, nine rebounds and four assists.
The Eagles held the Panthers to 38 percent (22-for-58) shooting. Janeau Joubert led the Panthers with 24 points and five rebounds.
The Eagles will now look to take down No. 15 Grand Valley State at 3 p.m. in Allendale, Mich. on Saturday (Feb. 8).
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