As the regular season winds down, No. 1 Ashland University women's basketball notched its 24th win in 25 games in a 86-48 victory over Thomas More on Thursday (Feb. 22) night at the Sherrill Hudson Court at Kates Gymnasium.

The Eagles maintained their consistent level of success through the typical means - versatile and selfless offense complemented by stifling defense. Ashland forced 20 turnovers, converting them into 25 points. Additionally, they stopped Thomas More from establishing a post presence to get additional possessions through offensive rebounds, winning the boards battle, 49-26.

With a 20-point, 11-rebound night, fifth-year forward Annie Roshak helped elevate the Eagles to the win. Roshak also provided four 3-pointers, one steal, one block and two assists.

Junior forward Hayley Smith closely followed Roshak, notching 19 points and nine rebounds. Ashland's two front-court leaders have set the example for excellence to play through physical rivals and secure rebounds and inside points time and time again. It has led to consistent production from the rest of the Eagles' front court rotation, as junior Zoe Miller and junior Sarah McKee added a combined 12 rebounds and 10 points in the dominant home-court showcase.

If it's not broken, don't fix it.

Ashland has established its position at the top of the nation through timely and reliable sets. Behind Roshak's approach to eventually becoming the all-time leading scorer in program history, seeing the Eagles power through each game is becoming the standard. The Eagles keep things simple from the opening tip, relying on one another to find the right shot and trusting they will make it count. Their offense starts from the inside, often sending the ball into the elbow or low post and using off-ball movement on the perimeter to give their front court an open shooter on the arc if there is no shot in the paint. This approach has often, including Thursday night, given the Eagles an early lead that they do not relinquish up through the final buzzer. Ashland's largest lead of the night was 38 with less than a minute to go in regulation.

With a double-digit average point differential, the Eagles seemingly are good enough that it becomes redundant. From the resilient two-way effort to the ruckus fans in attendance throughout Kates Gym, every home contest has felt like a one-in-a-lifetime event. With high success comes high expectations, though. After an undefeated campaign to the NCAA Division II women's basketball national championship, they have been favored to return to the biggest stage nearly all season. Head coach Kari Pickens has a long history of success with Ashland both as a student-athlete and a coach. Her experience and mentorship are a leading factor in the Eagles' consistency, and as tensions rise through the postseason, Pickens will surely maintain her squad's composure.

Following their win against the Saints, the Eagles hit the road for two games, starting by visiting Malone on Saturday (Feb. 24) at 1 p.m. for their third-to-last game of the regular season.