Thursday (Jan. 5) was the 11-year anniversary of the only triple-double in Ashland University women's basketball history – authored by then-
Kari Daugherty.
Now head coach
Kari Pickens, she has guided a new crop of Eagles as they turn in impressive feats. The No. 1-ranked team in NCAA Division II, Ashland improved to 15-0 overall and 7-0 in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference after a 90-60 win over Cedarville on Thursday at the Sherrill Hudson Court at Kates Gymnasium.
"The middle two quarters were great," said Pickens. "I was really proud of the team."
The Yellow Jackets are 3-9, 1-5.
Ashland came into Thursday night as the top-ranked shooting team in NCAA Division II at 51.5 percent. In the second and third quarters combined, the Eagles were 23-for-30 (76.7 percent) from the field and 12-for-17 (70.6 percent) from the 3-point line.
For the game, Ashland made 54.8 percent from the floor and 48.6 percent from the arc – hitting 17 treys, one shy of the school record.
Fifth-year guard
Hallie Heidemann scored 25 points, missing her career high by a point, and hit 7-of-9 from 3-point range, two treys shy of the program record. She did all that in 20 minutes on the floor, and she moved into 12
th place on AU's all-time scoring record with 1,388 points.
"Because we are so deep, when I am on the court or any of us are on the court, we are expected to play really, really hard," Heidemann said. "It's a good feeling. It's fun. It's a testament to this team and how well we share the ball."
WHAT HAPPENED
- The Eagles led 10-3 early on, but the Yellow Jackets scored the next seven points to knot the game at 10. A quick first quarter ended with Ashland trailing by a 15-13 count, and with Cedarville outrebounding the Eagles, 13-9, and keeping AU to 5-of-16 from the floor.
- After trailing for just the third time this season after the game's first 10 minutes, Ashland scored the first eight points of the second stanza, forcing a Cedarville timeout. The Eagles continued to extend their lead, eventually bringing it to 29-19 at the six-minute mark.
- Ashland had outscored the Yellow Jackets 35-12 in the second quarter – and 48-27 in the first half. In that second period, the Eagles were 12-of-14 from the field, 9-of-10 from 3-point range and 2-of-2 from the free-throw line.
- Also in the first half, Ashland assisted on all 17 field goals.
- At the first media timeout, the Eagles led 64-31, and they went on to the victory from there.
THE WRAP-UP
- Senior forward Annie Roshak scored 16 points and grabbed nine rebounds. She came into the game as the best shooter in D-II, and now is making 70.7 percent from the field in 2022-23.
- Junior guard Savaya Brockington added 14 points and five rebounds in 17 minutes off the bench, and sophomore forward Hayley Smith added 13 points, five rebounds and four assists in the victory.
- The Eagles dished out 26 assists on 34 made field goals, and turned the ball over just nine times.
- "We played selflessly. I thought we shared the ball well," Pickens said. "I thought we took high-percentage shots."
- Ashland is 92-3 all-time as the top-ranked team in Division II.
- The Eagles have won at least 15 games in 13 consecutive seasons.
- Ashland has topped Cedarville in eight consecutive meetings.
UP NEXT
The Eagles will travel to Northwood (6-8, 3-4) for another Great Midwest game on Saturday (Jan. 7) at 1 p.m.
