Needing a fourth-quarter comeback for the first time in 2024-25, the No. 8-ranked Ashland University women's basketball team accomplished just that, defeating Malone 53-46 on Thursday (Feb. 13) night at the Sherrill Hudson Court at Kates Gymnasium.
The Eagles' 17
th straight win over and NCAA Division II-leading 25
th in a row at home moves them to 23-3 overall and 15-1 in the Great Midwest – two games ahead of the second-place Pioneers (19-5, 13-3) and Hillsdale. AU also has clinched a first-round home quarterfinal game in the 2025 Great Midwest Tournament on March 4.
"They fight, and we find ways to win," said Ashland head coach
Kari Pickens. "We shot the ball very poorly today, both from the three and from the free-throw line. But we still find ways to win, and I think that showcases a lot of fight and grit.
"It was an incredible atmosphere. A huge shout-out to Eagle Nation, who came out to cheer us on. It was so fun. The energy, the momentum that we were able to get, the crowd definitely played a huge part of that."
Thursday night's victory also was Ashland's 350
th all-time as a ranked team in NCAA Division II (350-23, .938).
Ashland's stout defense kept Malone off the board for the game's first 3:21 – but that only resulted in a 4-3 Eagle advantage. The Pioneers shook off that early drought and scored seven in a row for 7-4 lead, and after a low-scoring first 10 minutes, the two teams were tied at 8.
Malone went out to a 20-12 lead inside of the halfway point of the second period, then led 23-14 inside of the three-minute mark. By the break, the Pioneers led 25-17 – and 14 of their 25 points came off 15 Eagle turnovers.
The Eagles got off to a roaring start in the second half, going on a 7-0 run to pull to within a point. AU was within two points at 30-28 halfway through the third quarter, and at the end of the stanza, Ashland still was trailing by two at 39-37 – despite not turning the ball over in the third.
It was just the fourth time all season the Eagles trailed going into the final quarter.
At the 4:04 mark of the fourth, senior guard
Morgan Yoder's corner 3-pointer put Ashland ahead for the first time since early in the second quarter at 44-43. Senior forward
Zoe Miller's layup made it a three-point lead, but the Pioneers later worked it back to a 46-all tie.
Miller put Ashland ahead on a layup following a feed from graduate guard
Lydia Sweeney inside of two minutes to play, then gave the Eagles a four-point advantage at 50-46 – tied for their largest of the contest. The win was clinched with 36.6 seconds to go when senior forward
Hayley Smith's old-fashioned triple made it a 53-46 contest.
YET ANOTHER SMITH DOUBLE-DOUBLE…AND THE REST OF THE STORY
- Smith racked up her 14th double-double of the season on Thursday night – 21 points (on 9-of-12 shooting) and 11 rebounds, to go with two steals, a block and an assist.
- "It was pretty frustrating in the game. I felt like we couldn't catch a break sometimes," Smith said. "But it was one play at a time. We knew it had to be one possession at a time. There was just so much grit from each person on this team."
- Miller ended with 16 points, five rebounds, three blocks and two assists.
- The Eagles kept the Pioneers to 32.0 percent from the field and 3-of-11 from beyond the arc.
- "We had a couple slip-ups, and that does happen in a game," Pickens said. "We locked them down. That's what you hope for from a championship-contending team."
- Ashland had just four turnovers in the second half.
- The Eagles have won 14 straight games vs. the Pioneers.
- Ashland is 15-0 all-time as the No. 8 team in D-II.
UP NEXT
At Tiffin (8-16, 3-13) on Saturday (Feb. 15) at 1 p.m..
