A close game through three quarters on Saturday (Jan. 21) afternoon at Tiffin turned into a 79-63 win for the No. 1-ranked Ashland University women's basketball team, as the Eagles earned their sixth 20-0 start to a season in program history.
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Ashland, which won its 21
st consecutive game away from home, is 12-0 in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference, while the Dragons are 5-14, 2-9.
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The Eagles played in their 100
th all-time game as the No. 1 team in NCAA Division II in the coaches poll on Saturday, and improved to 97-3 in such games. All-time as a ranked team in the coaches poll, Ashland is 279-18.
Ashland is one of only two undefeated Division II women's basketball teams, along with Cal State Dominguez Hills.
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WHAT HAPPENED
- Ashland had a slim 52-49 lead through three quarters, but had trailed by six points at 39-33 earlier in the third. The Eagles outscored the Dragons 27-14 in the final period, thanks in large part to a 10-for-13 shooting effort.
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THE WRAP-UP
- Fifth-year guard Maddie Maloney paced Ashland's offense with 15 points (12 in the second half), all on 3-point field goals, and added four assists and two steals. Both senior forward Annie Roshak and fifth-year guard Hallie Heidemann scored 14 points in the victory.
- The Eagles continue as the best shooting team in the country, and did nothing to hurt that on Saturday (54.7 percent from the field). Ashland also made 40 percent from 3-point range and 9-of-10 from the free-throw line, and had 19 assists to just eight turnovers.
- Defensively, the Eagles forced 15 Tiffin turnovers – resulting in 24 AU points.
- Ashland head coach Kari Pickens moves to 110 games over .500 (125-15) after just 140 games.
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UP NEXT
Ashland will continue on the road in league play on Thursday (Jan. 26) at 5:30 p.m. at Malone (14-5, 8-3).
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