The Ashland University men's basketball team won the first GLIAC Tournament championship in program history with an 85-77 win over Michigan Tech on Sunday (March 7) afternoon in Hammond, Ind.
With the championship, the Eagles (14-8) claimed the GLIAC's automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament, which will begin next Saturday (March 13) in Evansville, Ind. The field will be announced later Sunday at 10:30 p.m. on NCAA.com.
"These were the last two hours we could compete in this league and this was the last day that we could play a GLIAC basketball game," said head coach
John Ellenwood. "We saved the best for last."
After winning their first two games of the tournament by fairly comfortable margins, the Eagles and Huskies (14-7) played this game about as tight as would be expected for a championship game, though neither team lacked composure. The teams combined for just 19 turnovers and Ashland shot nearly 60 percent from the field.
"Our guys were ready today," Ellenwood said. "They had that confidence and it kept building into today. You saw an eye of the tiger type look in their eyes coming into this game."
The largest lead of the first half was just six points by Michigan Tech, and in the second half, the margin stayed within six until a basket by sophomore guard
Brandon Haraway pushed Ashland ahead, 68-60, to cap a crucial 8-0 run that gave the Eagles the decisive edge they needed.
"We started to focus up a little bit more, we got our offense going and learned how to click with each other," Haraway said. "We're playing our best basketball right now and that's all you can ask for."
Senior wing
Aaron Thompson had five points in that stretch and finished with a career-high 32 points to go with nine rebounds, four assists and three steals. He shot 11-for-15 from the floor and sank a season-high three triples. Thompson scored more than half of Ashland's points in the first half, going for 24 in the first 20 minutes.
"
Aaron Thompson was unbelievable," Ellenwood said. "You talk about toughness. He's been the toughest guy for us for four years since he's been here. You can't teach that stuff."
GLIAC Player of the Year Owen White countered him throughout the game and finished with a game-high 33 points on 12-for-24 shooting.
After that 8-0 run, the Eagles built the lead up to nine points three different times and closed out the game.
Haraway was named the GLIAC Tournament Most Valuable Player and finished with 19 points and six rebounds. He averaged 26.7 points and 5.7 rebounds per game in the tournament.
"We've got a great team and Brandon is one of those guys that is a special player," Ellenwood said. "He's a talent we're very blessed to have. He's a great teammate and a beautiful person all-around. His intelligence, his athleticism, his work ethic are second to none. His brother, Ben, played for us and it was the same way. The whole family is that way and it's great to have a local guy that is your best player."
Senior guard
Bo Furcron was one off his season high with 19 points on 7-for-12 shooting.
The teams were even on the glass, 29-29, and in bench scoring, 7-7. The Eagles only played six players with sophomore
Ethan Conley pumping in all seven points as a reserve.
Trent Bell had a 15-point, 11-rebound double-double to join White as the top players for the Huskies.
The Eagles will now find out their next opponent during the NCAA selection show on NCAA.com at 10:30 p.m. ET.
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