Strong second half, balanced scoring paces AU Eagles past Walsh

ASHLAND — Ashland University used an explosive offensive third quarter to pull away from Walsh and score a 94-71 Great Midwest Athletic Conference women’s basketball victory over the Cavaliers Thursday night at Kates Gymnasium.

Six AU players reached double figures in scoring and seven players had at least three assists as the No. 3-ranked Eagles improved to 9-0 overall and 2-0 in the GMAC.

Thursday’s meeting between the two teams was the fifth in 11 months and the win gives AU a 3-2 advantage after the Eagles and Cavaliers split four games last season.

“It was a great team win," Ashland coach Kari Pickens said. "I know our girls were really excited to play Walsh. We have a nice rivalry with them. To be able to come out 9-0 is a great feeling.”

Leading 48-35 at halftime, the Eagles used a deadly three-point barrage in the third quarter to outscore the Cavaliers 31-15.

Guard Hallie Heidemann, the school’s career three-point leader, knocked down four-of-five long-distance shots in the quarter as the Eagles used a 23-5 outburst to expand a 54-39 lead into a 77-44 advantage.

“I think that just came with sharing the ball,” Heidemann said. “There were a couple of times a teammate just made an extra pass to me and I was shot-ready.

“They were definitely collapsing on the post and the posts did a great job of being strong with the ball and passing (it back out).”

While the offense was bombing away, the AU defense put the clamps on Walsh leading scorer Morgan McMillen to build the 33-point lead. McMillen scored 17 points in the first half but was limited to just a pair of free throws in the third quarter before sitting out the final 10 minutes and finishing with a game-high 19 points.

“We just know coming out of halftime we have to come out with a bang,” said guard Savaya Brockington, who contributed 10 points, four rebounds and three assists to her strong defensive effort. “We know we’re going to get their best out of halftime but we have to amp it up even more and continue to come out hot and make the first punch before they can.

“I think we were just locking it in and taking pride in our defense. Just really stepping up and getting those stops and converting them on the offensive end.”

The Eagles began Thursday’s game ranked high nationally in Division II in field-goal percentage, scoring offense and three-point field goals per game. They bettered their season marks in all three categories against the Cavaliers (3-4, 1-1) with 57.6 percent field-goal shooting, 94 points and 13 triples.

AU finished 13-of-29 (45 percent) from distance as six players netted three-pointers. The Eagles also dished out 28 assists on their 38 made baskets and had a big 34-22 rebounding advantage.

“It’s kind of insane, honestly,” Walsh first-year coach Mark Schwitzgable said. “Just the amount of depth they have at every position, it’s kind of pick your poison.

“They’ve got post players that rotate in and all of them can score and all of them can shoot. They’re very good around the rim.

“Then you surround them with guards who don’t miss from the three-point line. It’s a pretty good formula for them.”

With Hayley Smith and Annie Roshak scoring inside and five different players making threes, the Eagles ran out to a 29-20 lead at the end of the first quarter.

Walsh hung around with a single-digit deficit through the midway point of the second quarter, but nine Cavalier turnovers in the period hurt a 56 percent (15-of-27) shooting first half as Ashland took a 48-35 halftime lead.

“I was a little frustrated with our second quarter,” Schwitzgable said. “I thought at that point we were within striking distance and we were making shots when we were getting shots.

“We had some careless moments with the basketball that took away some shooting opportunities.”

Then came the AU avalanche in the third quarter and about the only drama left was whether the Eagles would reach 100 points for the second consecutive game.

“Offensively, I thought we played lights out,” Pickens said. “We can be a really dynamite team, especially when we share the ball as well as we have been. It was beautiful. Offensively, I couldn’t ask anything more.”

Heidemann led the six AU players in double figures with 17 points. She also added three rebounds, three assists and four steals in a strong all-around effort.

Smith had 14 points and a team-best seven rebounds. Macy Spielman had 13 points, Zoe Miller scored 12, and Brockington and Roshak contributed 10 each.

But the Eagles did allow 71 points on 50 percent Walsh shooting.

"Defensively, we have to continue to get better,” Pickens said. “We just let them shoot too high of a percentage. I know this team wants to compete for championships, and if we're going to do that, we have to clean up that side of the ball."

The next step for the Eagles is a 1 p.m. home GMAC game Saturday against Northwood (3-6, 1-2).

This article originally appeared on Ashland Times Gazette: Strong second half, balanced scoring paces AU Eagles past Walsh