Record Shooting Game Lifts Top-Ranked Eagle Women To Win At Northwood

For the second time in less than a month, the No. 1-ranked Ashland University women's basketball team has defeated Northwood, as a 98-67 victory on Saturday (Jan. 7) in Midland, Mich., pushed the Eagles to 16-0 overall and 8-0 in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference.
 
The Timberwolves are 6-9, 3-5.
 
On Dec. 10 at the Sherrill Hudson Court at Kates Gymnasium, Ashland took care of Northwood by a 93-57 count. The Eagles have won 15 of the last 16 meetings with the T'Wolves.
 
The Eagles, leading NCAA Division II in field-goal percentage entering the game, broke a program record on Saturday, making 66.7 percent of their shots from the field (36-for-54). The previous mark was 66.1, set against St. Joseph's (Ind.) nearly 20 full years ago – on Nov. 22, 2003.
 
Ashland, one of only three undefeated teams left in Division II, has won at least 16 straight games to start a season for the first time since 2019-20, and for the fifth time since 2015-16. The Eagles are 93-3 all-time as the No. 1 team in the country, and 275-18 all-time as a ranked team in D-II.
 
WHAT HAPPENED

• Ashland got off to a slow start on Thursday (Jan. 5) night at home vs. Cedarville, and it happened again on Saturday. Northwood led 11-3 in the first 2:17 before the Eagles stopped play with a timeout, as the Timberwolves made each of their first five shots from the floor.
• The Eagle regroup worked, as they scored the first six points out of the timeout. Sophomore forward Zoe Miller's layup tied the game at 14, then sophomore point guard Morgan Yoder's 3-point field goal put AU on top, 17-14.
• At the end of the first quarter, Ashland led 23-18. Both teams shot well in the game's first 10 minutes (Eagles 64.3 percent, Timberwolves 61.5), but also turned the ball over at a high rate (Ashland eight, Northwood seven).
• When fifth-year senior guard Hallie Heidemann hit a triple inside of the eight-minute mark of the second quarter, Ashland had its first double-digit lead of the afternoon at 31-20. By halftime, the Eagles were on top, 48-32 – thanks in most part to 23 points off 15 Timberwolves turnovers.
• Ashland continued to keep Northwood at arm's length in the third quarter, and took a 76-54 lead into the final stanza. The Eagles shot 67.5 percent from the field in the first 30 minutes – setting up a shot for the school record.

 
THE WRAP-UP

• Five Eagles scored in double figures on Saturday – sophomore forward Hayley Smith (18 points, 7-of-8 shooting), Heidemann (17 points, career-high eight assists), fifth-year guard Maddie Maloney (15 points, 5-for-6 from 3), Miller (13 points, nine rebounds), and senior forward Annie Roshak (12 points).
• Ashland hit 54.2 percent from 3-point range (54.2 percent), out-rebounded Northwood by a wide 37-14 margin, had 26 assists on 36 made baskets, and scored 33 points on 23 Timberwolves turnovers.

 
UP NEXT
The Eagles will stay on the road to take on Lake Erie (6-7, 2-5) on Thursday (Jan. 12) at 5:30 p.m.