The No. 6-ranked Ashland University women's basketball team came back to the Sherrill Hudson Court at Kates Gymnasium on Sunday (Nov. 28) afternoon and recorded a 71-59 win over No. RV and previous undefeated Wayne State.
Heading into conference play, the Eagles are 4-1, and the Warriors are 4-1.
"I was really proud of our team's response," said Ashland head coach
Kari Pickens, referring to the Eagles' 63-58 loss on Wednesday (Nov. 24) at Southern Indiana. "We had lost to a tough team on the road last week, and to be able to come home and beat a very talented Wayne State team was exciting.
"I thought the first half of basketball was absolutely outstanding."
Ashland now is 150 games over .500 (161-11, .936) in its last 172 games at home.
WHAT HAPPENED
- Senior guard Hallie Heidemann had five points and four rebounds in the first 5:10 of the game, helping the Eagles to an early 7-0 lead. After one quarter, Ashland led 19-13, thanks in part to six points off six Warrior turnovers.
- Ashland continued to increase its lead, going up 39-22 late in the first half, then 42-24 at the break. Wayne State, however, scored the first five points of the third quarter to cut its deficit to 13 points at 42-29.
- The Eagles' largest lead was 22 points twice in the fourth quarter on the way to victory.
- Junior forward Annie Roshak led all scorers with 20 points, while pilfering a career-high-tying six steals. Senior forward Karlee Pireu came off the bench for 15 points and four assists, and moved past Daiva Gerbec for 13th place on AU's all-time scoring list at 1,261 career points.
- Heidemann finished with nine points, a career-high 12 rebounds, four assists, two blocks and a steal. While Heidemann is approaching 1,000 career points, she also has become a complete player over time.
- "Hallie has truly transformed," Pickens said. "They didn't have an answer for her defensively. She's truly a complete player. She sets the tone for our defense."
- Ashland had 19 assists on 24 made field goals, and continued its hot shooting at the free-throw line – 14-for-15 on Sunday, 43-for-45 in the last three games and 90.5 percent so far this season.
- Points off turnovers was a difference on Sunday, as well – 19 for AU off 23 WSU miscues, while the Warriors only scored four points off 13 Eagle mistakes.
- "Defensively, there were a lot of things I loved about today," Pickens said.
UP NEXT
Ashland's women will play their first Great Midwest Athletic Conference game on Thursday (Dec. 2) at 5:30 p.m. at Ohio Dominican.
"The first five games have challenged us to grow in our principles," Heidemann said, "and grow in what Ashland women's basketball wants to do. I think, going into conference play, just taking that, taking what we've learned and running with it."
Said Pickens, "ODU and Cedarville, they were our first two games for as far as I can remember. I'm excited to go back down there and play. We're looking forward to the challenge of starting the GMAC right."
AU
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