Eagles Women Run Over Chargers, 83-72
February 28, 2004

On any printed schedule, Saturday’s (Feb. 28) Ashland at Hillsdale women’s basketball game was listed as the final game of the regular season. But this game was anything but regular.

The Eagles were going for a school single-season record for victories. Another win would also enhance AU’s place in the NCAA Division II regional rankings (AU is ranked fifth).

Hillsdale wasn’t just playing out the string either. A victory would send the Chargers to the eight-team Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference playoffs that begin Tuesday.

Ashland dashed those HC hopes by winning its sixth consecutive game, 83-72. The Eagles are 21-6, 12-5 in the GLIAC. No AU women’s basketball team has ever won more games in a season than this outfit. AU is the GLIAC South Division champion and on Tuesday (Mar. 2), will host Northern Michigan in a first-round conference playoff game.

It was evident early on in the contest that the Eagles weren’t content to go through the motions against the Chargers (10-16/7-10). Instead, the Eagles were in full motion for 40 minutes. AU’s running game was too much for the young, rebuilding Chargers. The Eagles were able to open up the floor and that led to layup after layup on the fast break. Ashland shot 59.6 percent (34-57) from the floor. In the first half, AU shot 65.6 percent (21-32).

The Chargers couldn’t key on any one player. Points came from all directions. AU’s leading scorer was freshman guard Amber Rall, who was 11-for-11 from the field on the way to 24 points. Rall had 19 first-half points as the Eagles ran out to a 49-42 halftime advantage.

The Eagles also got a solid all-around game from sophomore guard Dee Bethune. She had 19 points. Senior forward Alanna Buurma had 12 points, senior guard Isolina Brescia fired in 11 points and junior forward Jackie Mason registered 10 points. Mason hit 5-of-6 shots from the floor, tied junior forward Beth Everman for the team lead in rebounds with seven, and had five assists and three blocked shots.

Hillsdale’s last lead in the game came with 15:47 left in the first half, 11-9. Ashland went on a 16-4 run over the next 4:08 and led, 25-15 with 11:39 to play in the first half. The Chargers made several spirited runs at AU, but could never draw even or take the lead. HC’s last serious challenge came with 10:44 remaining in regulation when the Chargers cut the Ashland lead to 61-57.

The Eagles outrebounded Hillsdale, 36-26. That discrepancy played a large part in the Eagles being able to run effectively.

The victory gave the AU a sweep of the season series with the Chargers. Back on Feb. 5 in Ashland, the Eagles won, 95-78.

Hillsdale’s leading scorer was guard Jodie Haines, who had 20 points. She scored 14 points in the first half. Much of her damage came from three-point range where she was 4-for-11. Nikki Wustman had 14 points and Kelly Paxson added 13 points.