On Saturday (Jan. 24) afternoon at Hillsdale, Ashland University's men's basketball team outscored the Chargers 16-6 in the final five minutes en route to a key 82-72 road Great Midwest Athletic Conference victory.
The Eagles, now 6-2 in the last eight games, improve to 13-6 overall and 7-4 in the Great Midwest – and are alone in second place in the conference. Hillsdale is 8-11, 5-6.
Ashland was incredibly consistent from the floor on Saturday, connecting at 67.3 percent – 68 percent in the first half, and 66.7 percent in the second half.
The start of Saturday's game was a high-flying one, as both teams scored 12 points in the first six minutes. The Eagles were off to a torrid shooting start at 70.6 percent from the field, but Hillsdale claimed its biggest lead to that point at 31-25 with 6:48 to go in the first half.
Ashland chipped away at that deficit to close the first half, and when senior forward
Maceo Williams put in a basket outside of the two-minute mark, AU led 36-35. The locker room lead, however, went to the Chargers, at 42-38 – despite the Eagles' first-half shooting showing.
Hillsdale scored eight of the second half's first 10 points to go up 50-40. Trailing 53-42, Ashland fashioned one of its patented second-half runs – this one of the 13-2 variety to pull the score even at 55-all.
Sophomore forward
Jason Moore then hit two free throws to give the Eagles the lead back at 57-55. Moore eventually scored seven straight points to give his team a 59-55 advantage.
With the score tied at 66 and the last five minutes to play, Ashland ripped off the next seven points, and finished the game with its 16-6 run.
EDWARDS TURNS IN CAREER CONTEST
- Redshirt freshman point guard Jordan Edwards scored a career-high and game-high 20 points, and made 8-of-9 from the field.
- Williams added 18 points, and with 768 career rebounds, is one away from tying Wendell Davis (769) for fourth place on the program's all-time list.
- Moore added 15 points on 5-of-6 from the field and 5-of-5 from the charity stripe.
- Ashland won despite not making a 3-pointer, going 0-for-3 from beyond the arc.
COMING UP
The team's Cancer Awareness Game at the Sherrill Hudson Court at Kates Gymnasium on Thursday (Jan. 29) at 7:30 p.m. vs. Malone (12-7, 5-6).
