Eagles Men Top Saginaw Valley For First GLIAC Win
January 15, 2004

Complete Box Score

There have been stretches this season when the free throw line has been like a toll road for the Ashland University basketball team. As a team, the Eagles are shooting just 63 percent this season at the charity stripe. When the Eagles cast up free throws, it’s like they can never find the exact change and that road to the line has taken its toll.

Thursday night (Jan. 15) at Kates Gymnasium that changed as the Eagles buried 19 of 22 shots (86.4 percent) at the line on the way to their first Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference victory of the season, an 89-78 conquest of Saginaw Valley State.

Ashland is 8-8, 1-5 in the GLIAC. The Cardinals are 8-8 and 2-5.

Freshman guard Alex Jones and junior forward Kevin Shorter scored 20 points apiece to lead the AU attack. Jones hit 6 of 11 shots from the floor, 4 of 7 from three-point range. He also had four assists and a pair of steals.

Shorter made 10 of 14 field goal tries, many of those as he crossed through the lane. The powerful forward also pulled down five rebounds.

Two other Eagles reached double digits in scoring. Junior guard Michael Fowler had 17 points, 11 in the second half. Freshman forward Greg Emmons came off the bench to collect 10 points.

The Eagles were in front, 46-42 at halftime and went ahead to stay, 71-69 on a layup by freshman guard Vahn Knight with 5:16 remaining in regulation. That was the start of a 9-3 run that put the Eagles in front, 80-72 with 55 seconds to play.

The Eagles were superb throughout the game at the free throw line. In the second half, when they needed to keep the Cards from creeping back into the contest, they were at their best. Ashland hit 12 of 14 free throw tries in the second half.

Anthony Parker had 26 points to pace Saginaw Valley State. Parker is one of the GLIAC’s top scoring threats and he nailed 9 of 15 shots against AU. He lived up to his billing as a dangerous long-threat, connecting on 4 of 5 three-point attempts.

Mekele Cooper added 15 points for SVSU and Rojelio Grady had 10 points.

The Eagles outrebounded the visitors, 40-36 and had just eight turnovers compared to 13 for the Cardinals. Ashland shot 47.1 percent (32-68) from the floor and SVSU hit 27 of 63 shots (42.9 percent).

The Eagles return to action on Monday (Jan. 19), hosting Michigan Tech at 7:30 p.m.