LINK – ASHLAND UNIVERSITY WOMEN'S BASKETBALL PAGE
THE TURNING POINT: Leading 25-17 late in the first quarter, Ashland ran off a 13-0 run and didn't look back.
STAT OF THE GAME: The Eagles set a new program record with their third 100-plus-point game of the season – 10 games into 2016-17.
Ashland University's women's basketball team, ranked No. 2 in NCAA Division II, has made it a 10-0 start to the 2016-17 season following a 103-55 win over Wayne State on Saturday (Dec. 10) afternoon at Kates Gymnasium.
The Eagles also are 4-0 in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, and continue to be the league's only undefeated team. The Warriors are 4-5, 2-2.
"The girls played hard the entire time," said Ashland assistant coach Kari Pickens, subbing in interview duties for head coach Robyn Fralick, who lost her voice. "That's something as a coaching staff that we are consistently proud of, is that even though we were up 30 with 2.5 seconds left at the end of the first half, they didn't get a shot up.
"That's a testament of how hard these girls want to play."
Saturday's victory allowed Ashland to tie its own program record with its 32nd consecutive regular-season home win. The previous streak was set from Feb. 3, 2011-Nov. 9, 2013, and the current one started on Dec. 19, 2014.
The Eagles have won 89 of their last 98 (.908) games at "The Kates."
Ashland also set a new school mark with its third 100-plus-point game of 2016-17 – after just 10 games of the campaign.
"That means we have a lot of good players, which is fun," Pickens said.
Ashland's 10-0 start is the program's sixth all-time of at least 10 games, and trails only 2012-13 (24-0), 2015-16 (21-0), 1996-97 (12-0), 1981-82 (12-0) and 1995-96 (11-0).
Junior forward Andi Daugherty came into Saturday's game averaging 24.0 points and 10.3 rebounds per game against the Warriors in four previous matchups, and ended the contest with 19 points, four rebounds, five assists and four steals in 21 minutes.
"It's just sweet. We're 10-0. You can't beat it," Daugherty said. "It is a lot of fun. Coach Fralick said after the game just not to settle. We have high expectations this year, and we don't want to take it for granted."
Daugherty (1,095 points) also passed DeAndria Bethune for 16th place on Ashland's all-time scoring list.
Junior forward Laina Snyder recorded her 33rd career double-double in the victory (19 points, 13 rebounds), yet another junior forward, Julie Worley, added 18 points off the bench and senior guard Kelsey Peare and sophomore guard Maddie Dackin each scored 10.
Ashland now has had at least five double-digit scorers in seven games in a row.
Senior guard Alex Henning posted six points and eight assists, while freshman forward Sara Loomis chipped in off the bench with seven points, 10 boards and five blocked shots.
The Eagles shot 50 percent from the field, 40 percent from 3-point range and 82.6 percent from the free-throw line in the win, while racking up 30 assists on 40 field goals.
Ashland scored 32 points on 27 Warrior turnovers, and had a decided 50-34 rebounding advantage.
The Eagles led the Warriors 25-17 late in the first quarter before going on a 13-0 run into the second for a 21-point advantage. Ashland took a 61-32 lead into the halftime break, and went on from there.
Ashland came into the week having won the most games (152) and having the second-best cumulative winning percentage (.869) of any NCAA Division II women's basketball program since the start of the 2011-12 season.
UP NEXT: Wednesday (Dec. 14) at 6 p.m. at Notre Dame College.
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