Ashland University's men's basketball team lost a 72-65 Great Midwest Athletic Conference decision at Kentucky Wesleyan on Thursday (Dec. 11) night.
 
The Eagles are 6-3 overall and 1-1 in the conference, while the Panthers are 5-4, 1-2.
 
Three 3-point field goals put the Panthers up 9-4 early on, and a fourth triple made it a 12-6 KWC advantage. Kentucky Wesleyan led 20-9 following a sixth trey in the game's first nine minutes.
 
By halftime, Ashland trailed 38-30 – the Eagles scoring 24 points in the paint, and the Panthers scoring 24 points on eight 3-pointers.
 
To start the second half, the Eagles scored the first five points to pull within three. Ashland trailed 40-37 before the Panthers went on an 8-0 run to extend their lead back to double figures.
 
Back and forth the two teams went, and the Eagles pulled to within four points at 48-44 after a 7-0 spurt. Trailing 60-51, Ashland got back-to-back buckets from redshirt freshman point guard Jordan Edwards to get to within five points, with more than five minutes to play.
 
Two quick hoops by the Panthers, however, gave them a 64-55 lead with four minutes remaining. Sophomore forward Jason Moore scored five points in short order, putting Ashland closer at 66-62 with less than 90 seconds to go.
 
KWC, however, got four straight free throws late en route to the win.
 
WRAPPING IT UP

• Four Eagles scored in double figures – junior wing Cooper Davis (13 points), Edwards (12), Moore (11) and redshirt freshman guard Max Dawson (10).
• With nine points on Thursday, senior forward Maceo Williams moved into 11^th place on Ashland's all-time scoring list with 1,530 in his career.

COMING UP
Another Great Midwest road game in Kentucky on Saturday (Dec. 13) at 3 p.m. vs. Thomas More (5-2, 1-1).