No. 1 AU Women Topple Cedarville, Roshak Ties Snyder For Most Points In Program History

No. 1-ranked Ashland University women's basketball went down to Cedarville on Thursday (Feb. 29) night, and came back with a decisive and record-breaking 113-58 win in its next-to-last regular-season game of 2023-24.
 
The Eagles improve to 26-1 overall and 19-0 in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference, and the Yellow Jackets are 5-21, 3-16.
 
In the process of winning on Thursday night, Ashland set a new program single-game record for field-goal percentage – the old record was 66.7 last season, and on Thursday, it was 75.4, the best single-game mark in D-II women's basketball, or any NCAA women's basketball team at any level, this season.
 
The Eagles made 35 of 39 attempts inside the 3-point arc, hit 50 percent from downtown, had 32 assists on 46 field goals, and boasted a decided 41-18 rebounding advantage in the victory.
 
Fifth-year forward Annie Roshak scored 19 points on Thursday, tying Laina Snyder for the most points in program history with 2,295. Roshak was 9-of-11 from the field in 19 minutes of action.

Ashland now sports an 18-game overall winning streak, and extended its NCAA Division II-record road winning streak to 39 games. The Eagles have won 48 consecutive contests inside of the Great Midwest, including tournaments, and are 63-1 in the last 64 games overall.
 
Starting with junior forward Zoe Miller's 999^th and 1,000^th career collegiate points (between Bowling Green and Ashland), the Eagles led 15-6 going into the first-quarter media timeout. AU was a perfect 10-of-10 from inside the 3-point arc, and freshman guard Lexi Howe had 11 points, three assists and a steal, as the Eagles went into the second quarter with a 33-16 advantage.
 
Ashland eventually made its first 17 2-point shots, and by halftime, the lead had grown to 40 points at 65-25 – and that wasn't the only staggering statistic from the first 20 minutes. The Eagles hit 79.4 percent from the field and 7-of-13 from 3-point range, had 20 assists on 27 made baskets, and had a 25-6 rebounding margin.
 
Also in the first half, Miller was 7-for-7 from the field and 2-of-2 from the free-throw line for 16 points in just 10 minutes on the floor.
 
Ashland made 81.3 percent of its shots, which would have been a D-II women's basketball record, and led 95-44 going into the final period.
 
POST-GAME NUGGETS

• The 113 points scored on Thursday night are Ashland's most since posting 118 against Slippery Rock on Nov. 25, 2018.
• Five Eagles scored in double figures in the win – Howe (22 points, 8-of-9 from the field, 6-of-6 from 3-point range), Roshak (19 points), Miller (19 points, 8-of-8 from the field), junior forward Hayley Smith (17 points, 8-of-9 from the field), and graduate guard Erin Daniels (12 points, 4-of-5 from 3-point range).
• Senior guard Macy Spielman dished out a career-high eight assists, as nine Eagles had at least one helper.
• Thursday night's win moves Ashland to 133-4 (.971) all-time as the No. 1 team in the country, and 322-19 (.944) all-time as a ranked team.

 
UP NEXT
The 2023-24 regular-season finale, and Senior Day, on Saturday (March 2) at 1 p.m. vs. Findlay (14-13, 10-9) at the Sherrill Hudson Court at Kates Gymnasium.