AU Women’s Basketball Clinches Share of GLIAC South Title With 74-59 Win at Wayne State
February 17, 2005

By Paul Carmany, AU Sports Information

Complete Box Score

The Detroit Pistons surprised many people by winning the 2003-04 NBA title. Head coach Larry Brown’s charges accomplished the improbable feat by utilizing teamwork and a superb defense.

On Thursday evening (Feb. 17), playing in the Pistons’ hometown, the Ashland University women’s basketball team earned a 74-59 victory over Wayne State with some teamwork and defense of their own.

The Eagles limited the Warriors to 30.3 percent (23-76) field goal shooting and put four players in double figures as they improved to 18-7 overall and 10-5 in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC). The victory, coupled with a loss by Hillsdale, guarantees that AU will take home at least a share of their third GLIAC South title in the past four years. Wayne State falls to 6-18 and 3-12 in GLIAC play.

The game started out as a see-saw affair. There were nine lead changes and eight ties in the first 13 minutes of the game, culminating with the teams tied at 26 at the 7:16 mark.

AU then put together its finest run of the evening, a 16-3 burst that gave the Eagles a 42-29 advantage 1:34 before halftime. Senior Angie Heintz played a key role in that run, providing five points, five assists and two steals.

Wayne State would come back to cut the deficit to 10 (44-34) at the half but could get no closer for the remainder of the evening.

Three different players (Heintz, Beth Everman and Amber Rall) tallied 15 points apiece for AU. Heintz complemented her points with nine rebounds, seven assists and three steals. Her rebounding mark tied a career high and helped AU enjoy a 49-40 edge on the boards.

Everman added nine rebounds as well and Rall contributed five assists. Jackie Mason was the fourth Eagle to reach double digits, tallying 10 points, eight rebounds, six blocked shots and three steals.

Ashland will now attempt to wrap up the outright GLIAC South title and a home game in the first round of the GLIAC tournament Saturday (Feb. 19) at Findlay, beginning at 1 p.m. AU, now 7-3 in road contests, will attempt to win for the first time in eight years at Findlay’s Croy Gymnasium. The Oilers enter the contest at 10-15 overall and 4-11 in GLIAC play.