Bulldogs Erase Eagles’ Dream of GLIAC Women's Title, 86-80
March 5, 2004

Miller Time came in prime time for the Ferris State women’s basketball team on Friday (Mar. 5) night at Lake Superior State in Sault Ste. Marie, MI.

Senior guard Erin Miller buried a three-point field goal from the left arc with three seconds left in regulation Friday to tie the Ashland-Ferris State Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference women’s basketball semifinal tournament game, 71-71. That trey gave the Bulldogs new life. FSU outscored AU, 15-9 in overtime and won the battle between the tournament’s No. 2 and 3 seeds, 86-80.

The victory sends the second-seeded Bulldogs (21-8) into Saturday’s GLIAC tournament championship game against top-seeded Lake Superior State. The Lakers trounced Gannon, 97-80 in Friday’s other semifinal contest.

The loss put an end to an Ashland seven-game winning streak. The Eagles, seeded third in the tourney, are 22-7. Head coach Sue Ramsey and her team will now await word on the announcement of the NCAA Division II playoff field. Ashland has never advanced to the NCAA playoffs. This year’s team would appear to be positioned to make that trip. AU was sixth in last week’s rankings. That winning streak to close the season, which included a win over Northern Michigan last Tuesday in the first round of the GLIAC tournament, should earn the Eagles an invitation to the postseason party.

Early on in Friday’s game, it appeared as if the Eagles would be advancing to the title contest for the second time since they joined the league in 1995-96. AU played tenacious defense from the game’s outset. AU was in front, 15-8 with 12:39 remaining in the first half and Ferris State struggled to cut into that lead. Ashland was in front at halftime, 35-28. FSU shot just 28.9 percent (11-38) in the first half.

In the early stages of the second half, it didn’t appear as if AU was in any trouble. The Eagles were in front, 53-41 with 12:32 remaining in regulation. That’s when the Bulldogs seemed to get their second wind. Sarah Duesing nailed a jumper and moments later, Miller hit a shot to cut the AU lead to eight, 53-45. Those field goals were the start of a 15-2 spurt over the next 4:49 that resulted in a 56-55 FSU lead with 7:43 to play.

The Bulldogs built that lead up to four points and that’s what FSU led by, 66-62 with 2:20 remaining in regulation. Then it was AU’s turn to rally. Junior center Jackie Mason threw in a jumper and after a hoop by FSU’s Kristin Reinhart, AU senior forward Alanna Buurma found the range on a three-point bucket for a 68-67 Ashland advantage. Ashland had a three-point lead after freshman guard Amber Rall made a pair of free throws with 13 seconds to play. That set the stage for the Miller triple with three ticks left.

Ashland took the early lead in overtime. Rall made a pair of charity tosses for a 73-71 Eagle lead. FSU took the lead for good with 3:10 left in the extra session on a bucket by guard Lucy DeMartin. That gave FSU a 76-75 edge with 3:10 to play. The Bulldogs outscored the Eagles, 4-1 over the next 1:58 for an 80-76 lead with 1:12 left. Ashland could never dig out of that hole.

Miller and fellow Lucy DeMartin scored 22 points to lead Ferris State. Ashland got 22 points from Rall, the GLIAC freshman of the year. Mason had 18 points and 12 rebounds and Buurma enjoyed her second consecutive double-double with 12 points and 14 rebounds. Sophomore guard Dee Bethune tallied 10 points.

Ashland shot 42.5 percent (31-73) from the floor and 81 percent (17-21) at the free throw line. FSU finished at 41.5 percent from the field (34-82) and 65 percent (13-20) at the stripe. AU canned 1-of-9 three-point attempts (11.1 percent) and FSU cashed in on 5-of-17 shots from three-point range (29.4 percent).Ashland outrebounded FSU, 52-46. The Eagles turned the ball over 24 times compared to 18 for FSU.