Aaron Thompson has done many things that will keep him in the Ashland University men's basketball record book for a long time.
He did another on Monday (Jan. 24) afternoon at the Sherrill Hudson Court at Kates Gymnasium, as the Eagles' senior forward set a new program single-game record for steals with eight in Ashland's 70-46 win over Trevecca Nazarene.
Thanks to the victory, the Eagles are a half-game out of first place in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference standings at 11-6 overall and 8-3 in the league. Ashland is one of four teams at the top of the conference within a half-game of each other thanks to its sixth win in the last eight games.
"It's one game at a time," said Ashland head coach
John Ellenwood. "I thought we took some good shots tonight. Thirty-six percent from 3 is like shooting well above 50 percent from 2. I'm happy about that."
Thompson came into the contest at No. 8 in NCAA Division II in total steals (43). He broke the previous Eagle record of seven steals, set three times.
"It's crazy. It's unexplainable," said Thompson. "You're just out there playing a game. We've just got to keep getting better every day."
"
Aaron Thompson is going to be sorely missed," said Ellenwood.
WHAT HAPPENED
- Senior forward Derek Koch scored the first eight Eagle points of the game, and Ashland had a 14-5 lead after sophomore guard Hunter Shedenhelm followed with consecutive 3-point field goals. Each of Ashland's first 14 shots from the field were 3-pointers, and the six early made triples lifted AU to a 20-5 lead.
- Trevecca Nazarene scored seven consecutive points to make it an eight-point game, but the Eagles returned their advantage to double digits, and by halftime, Ashland led 36-18, thanks in large part to eight triples, and 22 points off 12 Trojan turnovers.
- The only drama in the second half was if Thompson would break the record, which he did with relative ease.
THE WRAP-UP
- In addition to the eight steals, Thompson finished with 12 points and four assists. Senior guard Bo Furcron and Shedenhelm each added a dozen points in the victory, and Koch finished with 11.
- "I was really happy with Hunter today," Ellenwood said. "Just letting the game come to him, and he was hungry. It was good to see that. We need him to have that type of game. His defense is getting better, too."
- Said Shedenhelm, "It's definitely a slow start for me this season. Coach and everybody just kept telling me to shoot the ball. The confidence is always going to be there. It's going to be a great end to the year, I think."
- Ashland was a whopping 15-for-42 from 3-point range, and made 9-of-11 from the charity stripe.
- Defensively, the Eagles, who entered the game No. 10 in the country in 3-point field-goal percentage defense (29.2 percent), kept the Trojans to 27.8 percent from downtown.
UP NEXT
Ashland will go to Lake Erie (8-7, 2-6) on Wednesday (Jan. 26) at 5:30 p.m. to continue Great Midwest play.
AU
MBKB/DS
