No. 3 AU Women Top Cavaliers At Home To Remain Unbeaten

In the fifth meeting between the two teams since last New Year's Eve, the No. 3-ranked Ashland University women's basketball team topped Walsh, 94-71, on Thursday (Dec. 8) night at the Sherrill Hudson Court at Kates Gymnasium.
 
The Eagles improved to 9-0 overall and 3-0 in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference, while the Cavaliers are 3-4, 1-1. Ashland and Walsh played each other twice last season in the regular year, once for the Great Midwest Tournament title (which Ashland won) and once in the NCAA Division II Midwest Regional tournament.
 
Ashland entered Thursday night highly ranked in NCAA Division II in field-goal percentage (tied for second, 50.6), scoring offense (fourth, 85.6 ppg.) and 3-point field goals per game (tied for fifth, 10.5). The Eagles didn't do anything to hurt those numbers on Thursday, finishing with a field-goal percentage of 57.6, 94 points and 13 triples.
 
"It was a great team win," said Ashland head coach Kari Pickens. "I know our girls were really excited to be able to play Walsh. We have a nice rivalry with them. We really shared the ball well.
 
"Defensively, we have to continue to get better. We dominated on the glass, we forced a good amount of turnovers with our ball pressure. We just let them shoot too high of a percentage. I know this team wants to compete for championships, and if we're going to do that, we have to clean up that side of the ball."
 
WHAT HAPPENED

• Ashland put up the first six points of the contest, but Walsh crept back into the game, and the Eagle advantage was 15-12 at the 4:11 mark and the media timeout. By the time the first quarter was over, however, that gap had increased to 29-20.
• Halftime saw the Eagles go in leading 48-35, as Ashland shot 61.8 percent from the field and made 6-of-14 from the 3-point line, while out-rebounding the Cavaliers by an 18-9 count. AU's balance continued to be a strong suit in the first 20 minutes – eight players scored, six hit 3s and seven had at least one assist.
• As was the case to start the game, the Eagles posted the first six points of the second quarter to extend their advantage to 54-35. Ashland's biggest lead to that point was 62-41 at the second media stoppage of the third quarter, and heading into the fourth, the lead was 79-50. Six Eagles were in double-digit scoring through three.

 
THE WRAP-UP

• Not only did fifth-year guard Hallie Heidemann get recognized prior to the game for being the program's new career 3-point record-holder, she led Ashland with 17 points, and moved into 13^th place on the program's all-time scoring list. Heidemann added three rebounds, three assists and four steals.
• For the seventh consecutive game, sophomore forward Hayley Smith had at least 10 points (14) and shot better than 50 percent from the field (7-for-11). Smith also had seven boards, and has had at least six in every game so far in 2022-23.
• Junior forward Macy Spielman was 6-of-9 from the field scored 13 points, sophomore forward Zoe Miller added a dozen points, and senior forward Annie Roshak and junior guard Savaya Brockington each added 10 points.
• The Eagles had 28 assists on 38 made field goals, and had a decided 34-22 rebounding advantage. They also scored 20 points off 19 Cavalier turnovers.
• "It was beautiful. Offensively, I couldn't have asked anything more, except for maybe a few less turnovers," Pickens said. "I love how unselfish this team is. It makes us a very powerful offensive team."

 
UP NEXT
Ashland will stay at home on Saturday (Dec. 10) at 1 p.m. to take on Northwood (3-6, 1-2).