The young and game Ashland University men's basketball team played its second and final game at the Ferris State Thanksgiving Classic on Wednesday (Nov. 23) night, losing to the host Bulldogs, 75-69.
Ashland ends the pre-conference portion of the schedule at 2-3, and the Bulldogs are 4-2.
WHAT HAPPENED
- Ferris State scored the game's first six points, but Ashland took its first lead of the game at 12-10 on a 3-point field goal from junior center Victor Searls. The Eagles extended that lead to 19-12, but the Bulldogs rallied to knot the score at 21 with 6:42 left until the break.
- Ashland took a 33-31 lead into the locker room after redshirt freshman forward Maceo Williams' last-second layup. The Eagles had 10 assists on their 11 first-half field goals.
- Early in the second half, Ashland led 40-32 following a Searls dunk, but the Bulldogs went on a run to take a 43-41 lead before an Eagle timeout. FSU's lead was four points at 53-49 inside of the eight-minute mark, then it was nine points at 61-52 inside of the six-minute mark.
- Ashland chipped away at that deficit, but the Bulldogs never let the Eagles get closer than three points down the stretch.
THE WRAP-UP
- Senior guard Brandon Haraway paced AU with 15 points, moving into 22nd place on AU's all-time scoring list with 1,142 career points in the process. Haraway added five rebounds and four assists.
- Fifth-year forward James Manns and Searls each posted 13 points, with Searls adding eight boards and three helpers. Williams rounded out four Eagles in double-digit scoring with 11 points while adding seven rebounds.
- Freshman guard Derrick James collected seven points, six assists, three rebounds and five steals.
- Ashland made 20-of-26 free throws (76.9 percent), and dished out 16 assists on 20 made field goals.
- Both Searls and Williams were named to the all-tournament team.
UP NEXT
The Eagles will open Great Midwest Athletic Conference play on Dec. 1 at 7:30 p.m. at Findlay (2-2).
