In a Great Midwest Athletic Conference game in which there were 16 lead changes and eight tie scores, Ashland University's women's basketball team lost at Thomas More in double overtime, 94-84.
The Eagles are 5-5 overall and 1-3 in the Great Midwest, and the Saints are 7-1, 2-1.
A slow offensive start for both teams resulted in a 6-6 tie four minutes in, then sophomore point guard
Ashley Mullet's 3-point field goal gave Ashland its first lead at 9-8.
Mullet finished the first quarter with 13 points, and the Eagles took a 23-16 lead into the second stanza. Thomas More turned the ball over nine times in the game's first 10 minutes, and AU did so just once.
The Saints' 5-0 spurt pulled them even with the Eagles at 26-all outside of the six-minute mark of the second. By halftime, Ashland led 38-35, on the strength of Mullet's 16 points and Thomas More's 14 turnovers.
Early in the second half, the game was knotted at 40-40, then the Saints took a 47-43 lead outside of the five-minute mark of the third quarter. The game-long back-and-forth action continued, and after 11 lead changes heading into the final stanza, Ashland led, 56-49.
Following back-to-back triples from Mullet and graduate guard
Jenna Badali in the first minute of the final period, then another trey later from freshman guard
Taylor Davidson, the Eagles sported their biggest lead of the day at 65-53 inside of the seven-minute mark.
Then, with Thomas More trailing 67-55, the Saints made a 10-0 run to pull to within two points. Two free throws from freshman forward
Jenna Slates stemmed the tide, but a Saints trey made it a one-point contest going into the last 90 seconds of regulation.
Mullet's two charity tosses gave AU a three-point advantage at 71-68 with 47 seconds to go, but another Thomas More triple tied the game at 71. That led to the Eagles' second OT game of the campaign.
Trailing 79-76 late in the extra period, Ashland got a Mullet jumper to be down a single point going into the final minute, then after the Saints split free throws, Mullet's layup re-tied the game at 80-all – and set up the second overtime period.
Ashland and Thomas More continued to exchange leads, but the Saints' two free throws outside of the one-minute mark of OT2 gave them a four-point lead.
WRAPPING IT UP
- Mullet finished with career-highs of 32 points, 11 made field goals and six made 3-pointers.
- Slates recorded her sixth consecutive double-double (16 points, 10 rebounds), while adding three assists and three steals.
- Junior forward Katelyn Harabedian and senior guard Alysa Lopez each scored 10 points.
COMING UP
The end of the first semester on Friday (Dec. 19) at 5:30 p.m. vs. No. 1 Grand Valley State (9-0) at the Sherrill Hudson Court at Kates Gymnasium.
