Junior wing
Cooper Davis set new personal collegiate standards, including scoring 36 points, in pacing Ashland University's men's basketball team's 85-81 win over Northwood on Saturday (Dec. 6) afternoon to open 2025-26 Great Midwest Athletic Conference play.
The Eagles are 6-2 overall and 1-0 in the Great Midwest, and the Timberwolves are 5-3, 1-1.
"Our big-time guys showed up," said Ashland head coach
John Ellenwood. "Cooper obviously showed up and did great things, and I'm very proud of him for that."
Davis ended the game with career highs in points, 3-point field goals made (seven) and total field goals made (11), while adding five rebounds.
"It's just so fun," he said. "I'm so thankful to have the coaches I have and teammates I have that trust me to take those shots. So thankful for my guys trusting in me.
"It's just one step at a time. It's great to get this first (conference) win. We know the whole conference is going to be good this year."
"When you've got a shooter that does that kind of stuff, it's amazing," Ellenwood said. "Some of those looks he had, they were tightly-contested, but I've got confidence in him in that. We're trying to get him better looks so it spaces the floor for our other guys."
An early 8-3 Eagle lead turned into an 8-8 tie, and that turned into a 14-14 tie outside of the 10-minute mark of the first half.
There wasn't much separation between the two teams in the game's first 20 minutes (largest lead of five, nine ties), and at the break, the two teams were knotted at 35.
Northwood took its largest lead of the game to that point at 47-44 inside of the 16-minute mark of the second half, and then led by five at 51-46 inside of 13:30 to go. Ashland's ensuing 10-0 run, however, got it the lead once again.
When Davis hit a 3-pointer, Ashland had the game's biggest lead for either team to date at six points, 59-53. Davis' sixth triple of the game made it a seven-point contest at 62-55.
By the time redshirt freshman forward
Trent Minor finished a fast-break layup, the Eagles' advantage was up to 67-55 with 6:14 remaining. Northwood scored seven points in a row to get back in it, but when Davis finished an old-fashioned 3-point play with exactly four minutes left, the AU lead was 70-62.
Once again, the Timberwolves had a response, making it a 72-70 contest. Senior forward
Maceo Williams, however, followed with an old-fashioned three and a fast-break dunk to push the lead back to seven points.
Redshirt freshman guard
Max Dawson (two) and Davis (four) each hit key charity tosses late to clinch the victory.
MORE IMPRESSIVE EAGLE NUMBERS
- Williams finished with 21 points, 12 rebounds, three assists and two steals.
- Redshirt freshman guard Jordan Edwards chipped in with 15 points, seven assists and four rebounds.
- The Eagles shot 50.8 percent from the field, 42.1 percent from 3-point range and 77.3 percent from the foul line – marking the second time this season AU made at least 50/40/75 percent in the same game.
NEXT UP
The first road conference tilt of the new season on Thursday (Dec. 11) at 8:45 p.m. (7:45 p.m. Central) at Kentucky Wesleyan (4-4, 0-2).
