On Saturday (Dec. 31) afternoon at West Liberty, Ashland University's women's basketball team improved to 14-0 on the season, playing as the No. 2-ranked team in the country.
The Eagles' 97-68 victory at the Hilltoppers (6-5), however, most likely will be their last in that position in NCAA Division II for the time being. Ashland's win on Saturday, coupled with No. 1-ranked Grand Valley State's 69-63 loss at home to Lewis on Saturday, most likely will result in the Eagles being the top-ranked team in the nation when the next Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) Top 25 Coaches Poll is released on Tuesday (Jan. 3).
The last time Ashland was the top-ranked team in the country was Dec. 4, 2018.
Ashland also is one of just five remaining undefeated women's basketball teams in D-II, along with Cal State Dominguez Hills, Indiana (Pa.), Lenoir-Rhyne and Central Missouri.
The Eagles scored at least 90 points in a game for the fifth time in 2022-23, and the 97 points are the second-most this season. Ashland's 65.1 field-goal percentage against West Liberty falls one percent short of the program record of 66.1, set against St. Joseph's (Ind.) on Nov. 22, 2003.
WHAT HAPPENED
- The end of the first quarter saw the Eagles with a 25-15 lead – and with a 68.8 field-goal percentage. Both senior forward Annie Roshak (seven points) and sophomore forward Zoe Miller (six points) hit each of their three shots in the first 10 minutes.
- Ashland's torrid shooting continued in the second quarter, as the Eagles were 9-of-13 en route to a first-half shooting percentage of 69.0 – and a halftime lead of 44-33. Defensively, AU forced 10 turnovers in the first two periods, and converted them into 13 points.
- The Eagles began the third quarter by scoring the first seven points to take an 18-point lead at 51-33, and while the stanza was a back-and-forth scoring ping-pong match at times, Ashland kept West Liberty at arm's length.
- Going into the final quarter up 67-51, the Eagles continued to get a fight out of the Hilltoppers, as West Liberty made it a 10-point contest at 69-59 early in the period. An 11-0 run in the middle of the fourth, however, lifted Ashland to the 2022-ending win.
THE WRAP-UP
- In 21 minutes on Saturday, Roshak finished with 22 points on 9-of-10 shooting. She moved into seventh place on Ashland's all-time scoring list, now with 1,525 career points.
- Right behind Roshak was sophomore forward Hayley Smith, who added 19 points on 9-of-12 shooting in 20 minutes on the floor.
- Junior guard Savaya Brockington (13 points), Miller (13 points) and fifth-year guard Hallie Heidemann (10 points) rounded out five Eagles in double-digit scoring.
- Ashland boasted a 34-21 rebounding advantage, and scored 25 points off 18 Hilltopper turnovers. The Eagles have turned turnovers into at least 20 points in seven consecutive contests.
- The Eagles have won at least 14 games in every season in the last two decades.
UP NEXT
Ashland will begin the new year back at the Sherrill Hudson Court at Kates Gymnasium and in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference against Cedarville (3-8 overall, 1-4 Great Midwest) on Thursday (Jan. 5) at 5:30 p.m.
The Eagles lead the league with a 6-0 conference mark.
