On Saturday (Feb. 25) at Trevecca Nazarene, Ashland University's men's basketball team turned in a strong, balanced team performance to win 78-61, and in the process, earn the No. 2 seed for the 2023 Great Midwest Athletic Conference Tournament.
The Eagles finish the regular season at 19-9 overall and 15-5 in the Great Midwest, while the Trojans end 2022-23 at 2-24, 1-19.
Ashland took an early 10-4 lead, as freshman point guard
Simon Wheeler assisted on each of the Eagles' first three field goals. The Eagles took a 24-10 lead in back-to-back 3-point field goals from fifth-year forward
James Manns, and by halftime, Ashland's advantage was 40-28.
Manns scored 11 points in the first half, as the Eagles out-shot the Trojans, 48.3 to 36.7 percent.
Trevecca started to rally in the second half, working its deficit down to eight points at 51-43. The Eagles, however, continued to keep the Trojans at arm's length, and at the under-12 media timeout, led 57-45.
Ashland's lead remained at 12 at 65-53 with seven minutes to play, and went on to win from there.
NOTABLES
- Four Eagles scored in double figures on Saturday, led by Manns and redshirt freshman forward Maceo Williams with 16 points each. Williams was 8-of-9 from the field and added six rebounds.
- Senior guard Brandon Haraway and junior center Victor Searls each added 14 points. Haraway was 8-of-8 from the free-throw line.
- Ashland had 12 assists to just seven turnovers, and Wheeler ended with seven assists.
- Defensively, the Eagles forced 13 turnovers and turned them into 16 points.
UP NEXT
Ashland will play host to a 2023 Great Midwest Tournament quarterfinal on Tuesday (Feb. 28) at 7:30 p.m. at the Sherrill Hudson Court at Kates Gymnasium against Lake Erie (14-13).
