A near two-week layoff didn't bother the No. 19-ranked Ashland University women's basketball team on Saturday (Jan. 4) afternoon, as the Eagles recorded a 87-48 Great Midwest Athletic Conference win over Ursuline at the Sherrill Hudson Court at Kates Gymnasium.
Thanks to a 20
th consecutive home victory, Ashland improves to 12-3 overall and 4-1 in the Great Midwest – a full game behind Malone for first place. The Arrows are 2-12, 1-5.
"It was a great first half," said Ashland head coach
Kari Pickens, whose team has won six games in a row overall. "I'll always take an almost-40-point win. I wish that we would have been sharper in the second half, particularly the fourth quarter.
"Overall, pleased that we took a step forward today."
Neither team scored in the game's first 3:49, and the scoreless tie was broken by sophomore guard
Lexi Howe's two free throws. Ashland eventually scored seven straight points, leading to a 23-5 advantage when the first quarter ended.
The Eagles' largest second-quarter lead was 33 points – the halftime score of 45-12. Ashland boasted a 28-11 rebounding advantage in the first 20 minutes, and kept Ursuline to 5-of-23 shooting from the floor.
Ashland led by 40 points at 60-20, led by 43 points at 71-28 after three quarters, and went on to win from there.
VERMILYA'S FIRST COLLEGE START…AND THE REST OF THE STORY
- Freshman guard Corri Vermilya made her first collegiate start on Saturday, finishing with career-highs in points (13), rebounds (eight) and assists (three).
- "It was super fun," Vermilya said. "Today was just a great win. Balanced scoring, and I thought the rebounds were also very balanced. Everyone contributed in many different ways."
- "Corri did a phenomenal job," Pickens said. "She knew she was going to get some more minutes. She scored the ball really well, but I loved her rebounding."
- Senior forward Zoe Miller led four AU players in double-digit scoring with 19 points, followed by Vermilya, Howe (12 points) and senior forward Hayley Smith (10 points, nine rebounds, four steals).
- "It was a great team win," said Pickens.
- Ashland turned the ball over nine times against the Arrows, and has just 19 giveaways in the last two games.
- "Especially with as fast as we're playing," Pickens noted. "We're going to have a couple more turnovers as we continue to learn to play fast, but I thought that we played really fast and under control today."
- The Eagles out-rebounded Ursuline 47-29, and dished out 24 assists on 34 made field goals.
- Ashland is 8-0 all-time vs. Ursuline.
- The Eagles are 7-0 at "The Kates" in 2024-25.
- Saturday was Ashland's first game as the No. 19-ranked team in the country. The Eagles are 339-23 (.936) all-time as a Top 25 team.
UP NEXT
Another conference home game on Thursday (Jan. 9) at 5:30 p.m. vs. Walsh (8-6, 3-3) - a Black Out night.
