Baseball analytics tell fans how a batter does in late-and-close situations.
In basketball, no analytics are needed to tell how a team does late and close – just did it win or lose?
In the case of Ashland University's men's basketball team in 2025-26, it is batting 1.000 when it comes to winning at the end. The Eagles defeated Findlay in double overtime on Monday (Jan. 5) night, 105-104, at the Sherrill Hudson Court at Kates Gymnasium – moving to 5-0 in games decided by five points or less this season, and 4-0 in games decided by three points or less so far this winter.
"They're learning how to get tough right now," said Ashland head coach
John Ellenwood, whose team is 10-4 overall and 4-2 in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference – one of six league teams with two losses. "That's a great team we just played, and it could have gone their way. The ball goes one direction, rather than the other direction.
"We just had the guts to win one more play. It's just the way the ball bounces."
Monday's game featured a combined 209 points, 141 field-goal attempts, 59 free throws, 78 rebounds, 25 lead changes and 19 tie scores. It also was the first time the Eagles have scored in triple figures in a Great Midwest game.
Both teams came out of the chute firing, and after senior forward
Maceo Williams' off-balance jumper going into the game's first media timeout, Ashland led, 11-10. Findlay (9-5, 3-3), however, went on a 10-2 run coming out of the stoppage to move on top.
The high scoring pace continued, and with 9:20 to go until halftime, two Oiler free throws put them ahead 26-23. At the under-8 media timeout, Findlay had a 31-30 lead.
By the break, the two teams had scored 45 points each, and via contrasting styles – Ashland made 18 of 20 field goals from inside the arc, Findlay hit nine of 15 field goals from outside the arc.
The first-half pattern continued into the second half. The Oilers led 57-53 five minutes into the half, but the Eagles rallied to tie the game again at 60-60.
A put-back from freshman guard
Jason Henlon gave AU a 66-65 lead, but the back-and-forth continued apace. Findlay led 73-68 inside of nine minutes to play, then Ashland forced the eighth tie of the night at 73-73.
Coming out of the under-8 media, Williams' old-fashioned 3-point play put the Eagles ahead once more at 76-75. Williams' fast-break layup at the 4:59 mark resulted in the 19
th lead change in the game at 80-79.
With the Oilers leading 83-82 going into the game's last 60 seconds, junior wing
Cooper Davis' deep jumper became the game's 22
nd lead change. A defensive stop then led to a Davis free throw and a two-point lead.
The Oilers got a shooting foul call with 2.6 ticks to go, then two charity tosses, to force overtime.
Redshirt freshman point guard
Jordan Edwards scored Ashland's first five points in OT – helping the Eagles to a 92-89 lead. With 2:21 left in the extra period, Davis' two freebies made it a 94-89 lead – AU's largest lead of the contest to that point.
Findlay ran off seven straight to go up 96-94 with 52.7 seconds to play, then redshirt freshman guard
Max Dawson hit two at the line for yet another tie score – and another extra period.
At the 2:24 mark of the second overtime, Williams made both at the line to again tie the score, this time at 100-100. Williams' layup made it a 102-102 contest, but an Oiler layup with 40 seconds left put Findlay ahead.
Then, it was Williams again with 20.7 seconds on the clock, as an old-time three gave Ashland the advantage at 105-104. The Eagles got a stop, but the Oilers had one more chance out of bounds on their baseline with 1.7 seconds left. A desperation triple was short, leaving AU with the victory.
THE LOOOOOOOOOONG WRAP-UP
- Williams ended the night with 31 points on 11-of-13 from the field and 9-of-12 from the foul line. With 1,620 career points, he is 10 points away from Brandon Haraway in sixth place (1,630) on the program's all-time scoring list.
- "He's our senior. He's a guy that has to lead us," Ellenwood said. "We have to go to him. And he made free throws down the stretch."
- Davis followed with 23 points, nine rebounds and three assists, Edwards added 16 points and six assists, and Henlon came up with 11 points.
- Sophomore forward Jason Moore came off the bench for 12 points in 13 minutes on 5-of-6 shooting. Over the last six games, Moore has made 28-of-34 (82.4 percent) from the floor.
- Ashland connected on 56.7 percent from the field in the victory, and dished out a season-best 24 assists.
- "We can still get better," Ellenwood said of the assists. "The ball has to find what the defense is going to give you. Tonight, it found the right guys at the right time."
COMING UP
A Great Midwest road game on Thursday (Jan. 8) at 7:30 p.m. at Lake Erie (9-4, 3-2).
