Despite a combined 42 points and 23 rebounds from its two freshman forwards, Ashland University's women's basketball team lost 68-65 to No. RV Malone on Thursday (Jan. 29) night at the Sherrill Hudson Court at Kates Gymnasium.
A second straight close loss late puts the Eagles at 11-7 overall and 7-5 in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference. The Pioneers are 16-4, 9-3.
Freshman forward
Jenna Slates ended Thursday with a career-high 17 rebounds to go with a game-high 24 points, while fellow rookie forward
Kyra Hill posted a career-high 18 points on 7-of-9 shooting, and grabbed six rebounds.
Malone made each of its first three 3-point attempts on Thursday, lifting it to a 13-9 lead at the game's first media timeout. The Pioneers eventually made six straight from beyond the arc to go up 23-9.
Taking a 23-13 advantage into the second, Malone maintained a double-digit separation until the end of the first half. Ashland scored the final nine points, cutting a 35-18 deficit to 35-27 by the break.
Once the Eagles scored the initial 10 points of the second half, they overtook the Pioneers, 37-35 – running the overall run to 19-0.
There was little separation between the two teams for the remainder of the period, and Ashland went into the fourth up, 47-45.
The Eagles and Pioneers kept going at each other in the final 10 minutes, with little let-up. Malone went on a 7-1 spurt heading into the last 90 seconds to go ahead and eventually pull away – despite a frantic last-season AU rally at the end.
WRAPPING IT UP
- Junior guard Gia Casalinova rounded out three AU players in double-digit scoring with 11 points – her fourth 10-plus-point game in the last five contests.
- Ashland had 17 assists on 25 made field goals.
COMING UP
Back on the road for another league game on Saturday (Jan. 31) at 1 p.m. at Northwood (15-5, 11-1).
