OPENING TIP: Ashland University's women's basketball team will wrap up a five-game, nine-day homestand with two more Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference contests at Kates Gymnasium this weekend. The Eagles (4-3 overall, 4-3 GLIAC) will bring a two-game winning streak into games on Friday and Saturday (Jan. 29-30), both at 4 p.m., at "The Kates" against Davenport (2-5, 2-5). Ashland is in a three-way tie for second place in the GLIAC South Division prior to the games which will close out the first half of the regular-season schedule. Since the Panthers joined the GLIAC, Ashland is 7-0 in the series. Last season, the Eagles won 101-72 at home, and 94-75 on the road. Ashland is coming off three home games in five days - a 73-70 loss to Saginaw Valley State, an 80-64 win over the Cardinals, and an 83-68 decision vs. Wayne State.
EAGLES TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THEIR FREEBIES: Through the first seven games of the season, Ashland easily leads the GLIAC in free-throw percentage at 85.6 (Davenport, by the way, is No. 2 at 81.8). This percentage also leads all of NCAA Division II by a good margin through Jan. 26.
THE PIREU WATCH CONTINUES: Thanks in part to a career-high 30 points in the first game against the Cardinals, senior forward Karlee Pireu is up to 887 career points - 113 more needed to become the 25th player in program history to reach 1,000 as an Eagle. On the rebounding front, Pireu has 21 of the Eagles' 51 offensive rebounds this season.
OPPONENTS NOT GOING PAST 75: The Eagles have kept opponents below the 75-point mark in each of the first seven games. Going back to 2019-20, Ashland is on a streak of 29 straight outings of keeping teams to 75 or fewer points. The Panthers were the last team to get to 75, in a 94-75 home loss to AU last season.
STILL LOOKING FOR THE RIGHT STARTING COMBO: Ashland now has used eight different starters in seven games, after using just seven starters in 31 games last season.
EAGLES PLAYING HEAVY MINUTES EARLY ON: Of the 10 players who have seen action so far in 2020-21, five are averaging at least 30 minutes per game, and seven are going for at least 22 per contest.
DANIELS STEPPING UP OFF THE BENCH: Junior guard Erin Daniels' top two games this season in terms of points have come off the bench in the last two outings - a career-high 16 against SVSU, then 13 against the Warriors. Daniels also has had at least three assists in four games in a row, and five of seven this season.
ASHLAND SPREADING OUT THE HELPERS: Ashland is averaging 16.7 assists per game, and seven Eagles have 10 or more dimes at this point in the campaign. Junior guard Hallie Heidemann is the team leader with 24, while Daniels has 21, and freshman guard Sydney Jacobsen has 18.
SCOUTING THE PANTHERS: Davenport boasts four players who are averaging double-digit points through the season's first seven games - junior guard Toni Grace (15.7 ppg.), junior guard Loni Sales (10.6 ppg.), sophomore forward Emily Lange (10.6 ppg.), and sophomore guard Scout Nelson (10.1 ppg.).
FANS AND SPECTATORS: Based on the current COVID-19 climate, and in order to best protect institutions' ability to compete safely in GLIAC contests, the GLIAC COPC has adopted the COVID-19 Task Force recommendation that events will be held without spectators, bands, mascots, cheer teams and promotional activities. GLIAC administrators will continue to monitor and evaluate the COVID climate, and will make future determinations for fans and spectators at a later date.
