On Saturday (Nov. 27) night in St. Petersburg, Fla., the No. RV Ashland University men's basketball team shook off a modest two-game losing streak and moved back above the .500 mark after a 65-57 win over Eckerd at its Thanksgiving Classic.
The Eagles are 3-2 heading into conference play, while the Tritons are 1-4. Ashland men's basketball has won 1,250 games since starting life in 1920-21.
WHAT HAPPENED
- The Eagles got off to a fast start, jumping ahead 16-4 in large part thanks to four 3-point field goals from sophomore guard Tre Baumgardner (two) and junior Evan Bainbridge (one), each making their first AU start, and junior guard Ethan Conley (one).
- Eckerd came back and kept Ashland off the scoreboard for almost eight minutes, and the Tritons took a 17-16 lead thanks to a 13-0 stretch. The Eagles then went on a 13-4 run, and they ultimately went into the locker room with a 31-25 advantage, as Baumgardner had a game-high 12 points through the first 20 minutes.
- Ashland continued to keep Eckerd at arm's length, and maintained a six-point lead at 48-42 inside of halfway through the second half. The Tritons kept chipping away, getting to within two points at 52-50 inside of five minutes left in regulation.
- The Eagles, however, wouldn't allow Eckerd to get any closer, and free throws were a major factor – Ashland made 12-of-14 in the second half, and 18-of-22 for the game.
- Baumgardner and Conley each led the Eagle offense with 14 points, Bainbridge was right behind with 13, and senior forward Aaron Thompson added 10 in his 118th career game – one shy of the program record of 119 set by Phil Frentsos.
- Thompson added six rebounds and six assists in the victory.
- Defensively, the Eagles kept Eckerd to 40 percent from the field and 2-of-17 from 3-point range.
UP NEXT
Ashland's men will play their first Great Midwest Athletic Conference game on Thursday (Dec. 2) at 7:30 p.m. at Ohio Dominican (0-5).
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