The program's most 3-point field goals in a game in nearly three years guided Ashland University's men's basketball team to a 69-56 win at Ohio Dominican on Tuesday (Jan. 21) night.
A fourth win in the last five games puts the Eagles at 10-7 overall and 6-4 in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference – and alone in fourth place in the league. The Panthers are 7-10, 3-6.
Ashland connected on 15 treys on Tuesday night – its most since also making 15 at home vs. Trevecca Nazarene on Jan. 24, 2022. This continued a recent strong showing from beyond the arc for the Eagles, who now are making 43.8 of their attempts over the last five games.
After the Panthers scored the game's first five points, the Eagles came back and scored the next five. Senior guard
Gbolahan Adio gave Ashland its first lead at 8-7 thanks to a 3-point field goal, and while Ohio Dominican was kept off the scoreboard for more than three minutes, the AU advantage was upped to 13-8.
A triple by junior point guard
Jaron Crews gave Ashland its biggest lead to date at 23-17, but back-to-back ODU treys tied the game for the fourth time at 23. A third consecutive Panther make from beyond the line put them ahead at 26-23.
By halftime, following five lead changes and five ties, the Eagles were up 34-31. Ashland made 7-of-17 from 3-point range in the game's first 20 minutes, while keeping ODU to 31.4 percent from the field.
The Panthers came out and posted the first eight points of the second half to go up 39-34. The Eagles then tied the game at 44 following back-to-back triples from graduate guard
Luke Metzger, and another 3, this one from graduate forward
Javin Etzler, allowed Ashland to go back on top at 47-45.
With two straight from downtown from Crews, the Eagles had their biggest advantage of the night at 53-45 – as each of AU's last five field goals to that point had come from behind the arc. When senior forward
Maceo Williams knocked down a 3 – making that seven straight field goals coming from downtown – Ashland led 59-52 with five minutes to go.
Ironically, it was a Crews old-fashioned 3-point play, stopping the streak of modern 3s, which gave Ashland its largest lead to that point at 62-52.
CREWS CONTINUES TO GO OFF…AND THE REST OF THE STORY
- Crews finished with 21 points (including six triples), eight rebounds and three assists.
- Williams moved into 22nd place on AU's all-time scoring list (1,151 career points) after ending with nine points, six rebounds and five assists.
- The Eagle defense kept the Panthers to 31.7 percent from the field in the victory.
- Ashland is 36-3 all-time vs. ODU, and has won the last eight games in the series.
UP NEXT
Back to the Sherrill Hudson Court at Kates Gymnasium on Saturday (Jan. 25) at 3 p.m. for Military Appreciation Day and Boys Camp Day vs. Lake Erie.
