They aren't the Baby Eagles anymore.
Ashland University's men's basketball team needed all 40 minutes on Thursday (Jan. 5) night to defeat Cedarville, 69-68, at the Sherrill Hudson Court at Kates Gymnasium. The Eagles' seventh consecutive victory - after a missed layup at the end – keeps them tied atop the Great Midwest Athletic Conference in the loss column at 9-4 overall and 5-1 in the league.
"Obviously, anybody could have won that game," said Ashland head coach
John Ellenwood. "They made some tough shots, and our guys made some big plays, as well. I think our guys really had to fight back, and that's something that, if you look at our bench, our bench won that game tonight.
"I'm happy with the depth that we have moving right here."
That winning streak is the program's longest since an eight-gamer from Jan. 23-Feb. 15, 2020.
The Yellow Jackets are 10-4, 3-3.
WHAT HAPPENED
- Cedarville ran out to an early 12-2 lead, but Ashland began creeping back in the game. Back-to-back baskets from senior guard Brandon Haraway, including a dunk, made it a 17-12 deficit, then the Eagles got to within a point at 17-16.
- The Yellow Jackets scored the game's next six points, then Ashland continued the back-and-forth with five in a row going into the under-eight-minute media timeout. The Eagles knotted the game at 23 on a fast-break layup from freshman point guard Derrick James, then James' jumper at the free-throw line gave AU its first lead at 25-23.
- Ashland's overall run ended at 11-0 and with the Eagles leading 27-23. Redshirt freshman forward Maceo Williams' layup at the end of the first half helped AU to a 33-all tie going into the break. Williams had 12 points and five rebounds in 12 minutes in the first half.
- A layup from junior center Victor Searls put the Eagles ahead 39-38 early in the second half, and the back-and-forth was on again. At the first media stoppage of the second half, there had been five ties and four league changes, and Cedarville was leading, 44-41.
- Williams' dunk put AU on top at 49-47, then sophomore wing Stefan Stanic's old-fashioned 3-point play made it a 52-47 Eagle advantage.
- Cedarville worked the game back to a seventh tie at 55-all, but fifth-year forward James Manns answered with a corner trey to put the Eagles back on top. That started a 7-0 Ashland spurt, but yet again, the Yellow Jackets responded with eight in a row to retake the lead at 63-62.
- Freshman point guard Simon Wheeler's trey with a hand in his face put Ashland back ahead at 65-63, then the Yellow Jackets came back to lead 68-67. Haraway went to the foul line for a 1-and-1 with 30.9 seconds left in regulation, and made both attempts for a 69-68 lead.
- The Eagles had four fouls to give, and they gave all but one – then Cedarville threw the ball away with 17.1 ticks left. After a missed AU charity toss, the Yellow Jackets had one last attempt for a win – a missed layup ending their chance for a victory and giving the Eagles their seventh straight victory.
- "Our guys, they persevered," Ellenwood said. "When we're up one with 16 seconds left, that's a scary spot to be as a coach. You just pray your guys can execute in that situation, and our guys did a great job on that last play."
- Haraway said, "It's just showing the fight we have. As the season goes on, we learn to work together, work for each other. That's what makes the win even better. We're playing for our teammates, and it just feels great."
THE WRAP-UP
- Williams finished with a game-high 21 points on 10-of-17 shooting, and added seven rebounds off the bench.
- "I just love these guys, the way we fight," said Williams. "We've learned a lot. We had to get experience. It shows how much work we've put in on the court."
- Haraway was Ashland's other double-digit scorer with 14 points, to go with seven rebounds and five assists.
- "We just know what coach Wood tells us is, we just have to work," Haraway said. "When we find something that works, that was Maceo tonight, we just attack that. We love to see him eat."
- Off the bench, along with Williams, Ashland got key contributions from James (six points in 16 minutes) and Stanic (five points, three rebounds, plus-20 plus-minus in 19 minutes).
- "Those are our three main bench guys, and they did the job," Ellenwood said.
- There were 11 lead changes and eight ties Thursday night.
- Ashland is 38-11 all-time against the Yellow Jackets.
UP NEXT
Ashland will go on the road for another Great Midwest contest on Saturday (Jan. 7) at 3 p.m. at Northwood (1-14, 1-6).
"This is our third game this week," Ellenwood said. "Northwood's going to have some pride on their home floor. And they didn't play tonight, so they're well-rested. Any road win in the league…you just want to win by one, get on the bus and go home."
