Edwards Layup Rescues Eagles Men Against Bulldogs
January 11, 2003

Complete Box Score

The folks at Enron aren’t the only ones who know how to cook the books.

How the Ashland University Eagles defeated Ferris State, 80-77 Saturday (Jan.11) at Kates Gymnasium remained a mystery to AU head coach Roger Lyons long after the final buzzer. For the majority of the game’s 40 minutes, the Eagles were on the short end of the score and just about any other number you wished to pull off the stat sheet. Finally, when it was all over, all Lyons could do was shake his head and say he hoped he never had to play against Adam Anderson again.

Anderson, the 6-10 senior FSU center, helped the Bulldogs (6-8/2-4 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference) terrorize the Eagles all afternoon. The Bulldogs took the lead with 17:06 left in the first half and didn’t give up the advantage until AU senior guard Angelo Edwards hit a layup with 41 seconds left to put AU (13-3, 5-2) ahead to stay, 78-77. Two free throws by senior guard Isaac Kincaid with five seconds remaining made it 80-77, Ashland. Ferris State got off a three-point attempt by Willie Thomas at the buzzer that came up short.

Edwards led the Eagles with 22 points. Kincaid added 18 points. Sophomore center Mike Campbell had 12 points, 10 rebounds and a pair of blocked shots. Senior swingman Tom Church had 11 points.

Anderson led all players in the game with 23 points. He also had six rebounds. Anderson canned 10 of 14 shots from the field. When he wasn’t turning around and lofting shots over Campbell and senior strong forward Justin Larrick he was dishing the ball off to the flanks where Willie Thomas (14 points) and Carlton Epps (13 points) picked away at the Eagles. The Bulldogs had another weapon in point guard Dennis Springs. The transfer from Bowling Green had 12 points, four assists and four steals and deftly delivered the ball to Anderson for most of the game.

Ferris State led, 42-33 at halftime. FSU shot 54.5 percent (6-11) from three-point range in the first half and 51.5 percent (17-33) from the floor. That type of shooting helped FSU build that halftime margin. Anderson also allowed the ‘Dogs to compete on the boards with the Eagles. For the game, AU held a 36-34 rebounding edge.

The visitors had a 10-point lead, 77-67 with 3:08 remaining in regulation. Ashland outscored the Bulldogs, 13-0 the rest of the way. Over the last three minutes, FSU was 0-5 from the floor and had one turnover.

Ashland shot 50 percent (26-52) from the field, but suffered through some spotty shooting at the free throw line, hitting 19 of 29 attempts (65.5 percent).

The Eagles return to the court on Thursday (Jan. 16), hosting Findlay.