In a game which featured 24 lead changes and 11 tie scores, Ashland University's men's basketball team led with 4:15 to go on Thursday (Dec. 1) night at Findlay, but took a 76-68 loss against the Oilers.
Ashland is 2-4 overall and 0-1 in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference, and Findlay is 4-2, 1-0.
WHAT HAPPENED
- An early 6-2 Ashland lead was followed by Findlay scoring five points in a row. Trailing 11-10, the Eagles scored six in a row, forcing an Oilers timeout at the 13:19 mark of the first half.
- Back and forth the two teams went, and Findlay took a 19-18 lead going into the 12-minute media timeout. Things were different at the eight-minute media timeout, as Ashland went into that with a 27-23 advantage.
- When the two teams went into the locker room at halftime, the Eagles led 38-35, on the strength of a defense which kept UF to 2-of-10 from 3-point range, a 23-15 rebounding lead and turning the ball over just four times.
- The volleying continued into the second half, with Findlay going from a three-point halftime deficit to a two-point lead at 44-42 at the first media timeout of the half. By the next media stoppage, the Oilers had a 53-48 lead, their biggest to that point.
- Ashland worked the game back to a 53-all tie before an Oiler 3-point field goal, then the Eagles took a 58-56 lead inside of the eight-minute mark when senior guard Brandon Haraway converted on a layup.
- The lead continued to change hands several times heading into the last four minutes of regulation, then Findlay pulled away after that, turning a 65-64 deficit into a 71-65 lead with 2:42 to play.
- Ashland's young Eagles didn't quit, however, and a triple from senior guard Ethan Conley, making his season debut off the bench, cut the Oiler lead in half going into the last two minutes. The Eagles did not score in the last 2:26, and Findlay went on to the victory.
THE WRAP-UP
- Haraway led all scorers on Thursday night with 20 points, and that moved him into 21st place on Ashland's all-time scoring list.
- Three other Eagles scored in double figures – freshman forward Maceo Williams (12 points), junior center Victor Searls (11) and Conley (10).
- Ashland had a 36-30 rebounding advantage, and scored 15 points on 14 Oiler turnovers.
UP NEXT
Ashland's men will come back to the Sherrill Hudson Court at Kates Gymnasium on Dec. 8 at 7:30 p.m. to take on preseason conference favorite Walsh (4-2, 1-0).
