On Saturday (Jan. 18) afternoon at Ursuline, the No. 14-ranked Ashland University women's basketball team accomplished something it is very used to – a double-digit winning streak.
The Eagles won their 10
th straight game on Saturday, 81-36, to improve to 16-3 overall and 8-1 in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference. It is their first win streak of at least 10 games since a 23-gamer last season, and Saturday's victory keeps AU one game in the loss column behind first-place Malone.
In allowing a season-low 36 points, the Eagle defense continues its strong play of late. During the win streak, they have allowed 48.5 points per game, 34.2 percent shooting from the floor, and 19.4 percent from 3-point range.
On Saturday, Ashland out-rebounded Ursuline by 12 (41-29), continuing that strong stat in the last 10 games (plus-12.6 per game).
The Eagles also turned the ball over just 11 times against the Arrows – and now has just 66 miscues in the last six contests.
While the Arrows (3-15, 2-8) missed six of their first eight shots from the floor, the Eagles went out to a 10-4 lead. Ashland led 22-10 after the first quarter, thanks in large part to making 11-of-14 shots inside the 3-point arc.
Senior forward
Hayley Smith nearly reached a double-double by halftime (10 points, nine rebounds), and at the break, the Eagles boasted a 20-point lead at 41-21.
Smith finished off her double-double early in the third quarter, the Eagles went up by 30 at 53-23 midway through the period, and they went on to victory from there.
MORE BALANCED SCORING…AND THE REST OF THE STORY
- All three of AU's senior forwards – Zoe Miller (15 points, 11 rebounds, four steals), Smith (14 points, 12 rebounds, three assists) and Sarah McKee (13 points on 5-of-6 shooting) – ended in double-digit scoring, and Miller joined Smith with a double-double.
- Freshman guard Corri Vermilya (13 points, five rebounds, two assists, two steals) rounded out four Eagles in double-digit scoring.
- The Eagles made 49.2 percent from the field and a season-best 86.7 percent from the foul line, and converted 22 Ursuline turnovers into 23 points.
- Ashland's eight in-conference wins this season have been by an average of 31.5 points.
- The Eagles are 320 games above .500 (343-23) all-time as a ranked team in NCAA Division II.
- Ashland is 9-0 all-time vs. Ursuline.
UP NEXT
Thursday (Jan. 23) at 5:30 p.m. vs. Hillsdale (11-5, 8-1), in the team's return to the Sherrill Hudson Court at Kates Gymnasium – as well as a match-up of the two teams in second place in the conference. It also will be the Eagles' Morgan's Message game.
