Courtesy of Dusty Sloan, Ashland Sports University Information Director
ASHLAND, Ohio -- This time, there wouldn't be last-second shots to push the Eagles to the limit.
Three weeks after having to go to double overtime in Detroit, Mich., following last-second 3-point field goals to end both regulation and the first extra period, the No. 6-ranked Ashland University women's basketball team took care of Wayne State in 40 minutes, 81-60, on Saturday (Feb. 13) afternoon at Kates Gymnasium.
In doing so, not only did the Eagles improve to 24-1 overall and 18-1 in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference with their 25th consecutive home victory, they also clinched the GLIAC regular-season championship and the South Division title. It is AU's third GLIAC regular-season title, all in the last five seasons, and the program's ninth South Division crown.
"You've got to celebrate it," said Ashland head coach Robyn Fralick. "It doesn't happen in a game. It doesn't happen in an instance. It's a collective effort of hard work over a long period of time. You've got to savor it. We know there is a lot of season left."
Ashland will be the No. 1 seed for the 2016 GLIAC Tournament when it begins on Tuesday, March 1, and will be at home as long as it keeps winning in the tourney.
Sophomore forward Andi Daugherty paced the Eagle offense with 23 points on 9-of-12 shooting from the field, and added seven rebounds and two blocks.
"This is our first big goal that we've had the opportunity to accomplish, and it was our first goal that we needed to get," Daugherty said. "It's nice to get this and celebrate it."
In four career games against the Warriors, Daugherty has 92 points, 41 rebounds, 11 assists, five steals and eight blocks.
Sophomore forward Laina Snyder had 13 points, seven boards and four steals, junior guard Kelsey Peare chipped in with 11 points, two assists and two steals and sophomore forward Julie Worley came off the bench for 10 points and six rebounds in 19 minutes.
Senior guard McKenzie Miller added eight assists along with four points and five rebounds, while junior point guard Alex Henning posted six points, six rebounds, three assists and three blocks.
Ashland shot 52.7 percent for the game, and 63.0 percent in the second half. The Eagles kept the Warriors to 34.4-percent shooting, 26.7 percent in the final 20 minutes. AU turned 17 WSU turnovers into 22 points, had a 40-31 rebounding advantage and recorded 24 assists on 29 field goals.
The Eagles ran out to leads of 11-2 and 15-4, and had a 20-14 advantage after the first quarter. The Warriors worked their way to a 34-33 lead late in the first half before AU regrouped and took a 37-34 lead into the halftime break.
A 23-9 third quarter propelled the Eagles to victory.
Ashland will return to the road on Thursday (Feb. 18) at 5:30 p.m. against Ohio Dominican (19-6, 14-5).
THE NOTEBOOK: The Eagle program record consecutive home wins is 44 from Feb. 3, 2011-Nov. 9, 2013…Ashland has won nine of the last 10 meetings with Wayne State…The Eagles' 24 wins are the fourth-most in a season in program history…Snyder, Daugherty and/or Worley have led or co-led Ashland in rebounds in 58 of 59 career games.
