On Saturday (Dec. 7) afternoon at Tiffin, Ashland University's men's basketball team moved to 5-2 overall and 2-0 in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference following a 79-61 win at the Dragons (2-6, 0-1).
The Eagles' third consecutive win was a complete one. On offense, Ashland clicked to the tune of 54.7 percent from the field, 9-of-18 from 3-point range and 12-of-14 from the free-throw line. AU's 22 assists on 29 made field goals are the team's most in a league game since 26 at home vs. Ohio Dominican on Feb. 10, 2024.
Ashland boasted early leads of 8-2 and 16-4, with the Dragons utilizing a timeout inside of the 10-minute mark to regroup. Tiffin never led in the first half, Ashland had a half-high lead of 13 points at 24-11, and the Eagles went into the locker room up by nine at 31-22.
Ashland's first-half success came from an offense which clicked to the tune of 11 assists on 14 made baskets (48.3 percent from the field), and a defense which kept the Dragons to 27.3 percent from the floor and 1-of-7 from 3-point range.
A basket from junior forward
Maceo Williams early in the second half gave AU its biggest lead to date to 43-28, then a triple from senior guard
Gbolahan Adio and a layup by sophomore wing
Aden Gregory moved the advantage to 53-35.
Adio's old-fashioned 3-point play lifted the Eagles to a 20-point lead at 62-42 inside of the eight-minute mark, and Tiffin never got closer than 14 points the rest of the way.
WILLIAMS LEADS A BALANCED OFFENSE…AND THE REST OF THE STORY
- Williams finished with 22 points on 9-of-15 from the field and 4-of-4 from the charity stripe, while adding six rebounds and a career-high six assists.
- Sophomore wing Cooper Davis posted 18 points and career highs of eight rebounds and four assists, while junior point guard Jaron Crews added 10 points, three rebounds and and six helpers.
- In all, six Eagles scored at least eight points.
- Ashland boasted a 34-25 rebounding advantage.
- Tiffin was kept to 39.2 percent from the field and 28.0 percent from downtown.
UP NEXT
After finals week, a home game on Dec. 14 at 3 p.m. vs. Kentucky Wesleyan (4-2, 0-0). It is Toy Drive and Mini Cheer Day.
