SIOUX FALLS, South Dakota — The Ashland University women’s basketball program has never lost a national semifinal, and the greatest Division II team of all time wasn’t going to let it happen on Wednesday night.
The Eagles pounded Indiana University Pennsylvania (IUP) 92-68 in a Final Four blowout to earn a second consecutive trip to the national championship game. That sets up a chance to repeat, to finish the season undefeated and end the campaign with a 74-game winning streak.
“Teams in their league have had all summer to prepare for them, to game plan for them and have not been able to do it. So I’m not sure if more time would have helped us, they are that special,” IUP coach Tom McConnell said. “The thing I think is the most impressive about them is that they are just unflappable.
“They score, they press you. And they’re right into it and they trap. And they don’t let you run a play.”
Ashland coach Robyn Fralick echoed a similar sentiment.
“Felt like we were hitting on all cylinders,” the Eagles’ boss said. “Starters, subs, I just thought we played a really complete game. I loved our effort.”
Even foul trouble couldn’t ground the No. 1-ranked Eagles (36-0). Ashland jumped on top 26-15 after one quarter. Yet sophomore sensation Jodi Johnson, the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association Player of the Year, picked up her third foul less than one minute into the second period and headed to the bench.
The air was sucked out of the purple-fan-coated arena and a momentum switch loomed. It lasted just 20 seconds though. It took that long for Crestview grad Renee Stimpert to drill a trey, opening a 31-17 gap that forced an IUP timeout.
The game was never close again.
“It was unfortunate that Jodi got in foul trouble, but I think that is the strength of this team, every single person we put on the court is an excellent basketball player,” Ashland’s Andi Daugherty said.
Daugherty went 9-of-10 from the field while scoring 21 points and grabbing seven rebounds. Speaking of points, it wouldn’t be an Eagles game without some milestone being reached, as Daugherty joined the 2,000-point club at the end of the third quarter.
“Both Laina and I having the opportunity to score 2,000 points, and Julie 1,000 points, I don’t know if that’s ever been done on a senior class scoring that many points,” Daugherty said.
As good as Daugherty was, Laina Snyder was even better. The senior post player led the Eagles with 23 points, 20 rebounds and six assists.
“Credit to the guards and Andi up top, making them take bad shots for me to be underneath and get that rebound,” Snyder said.
The open looks on offense were set up by the relentless pressure. Stimpert shot 50 percent from the field and scored nine points as the maestro behind the quick transition play. Johnson chipped in 16 points, six rebounds and five assists, and Maddie Dackin added 10 points.
Ashland owned a 42-30 halftime advantage, opened the spread to 70-51 through three quarters, and emptied the bench in the final period.
“That’s what we do,” Fraley said. “I trust our players to play that way. It’s a unique style and it’s what we’re used to.”
The Crimson Hawks’ first trip to the Final Four was rewarded with having to play a team that averaged over 100 points per game and has scored more points in a season than any other women’s team, ever.
IUP (30-4) was seeded fifth when the Elite Eight began and finished the year ranked No. 12 in the final regular season poll. The Crimson Hawks beat the University of Pittsburgh, in Pittsburgh, at the beginning of the season. But they were no match for the Eagles.
“Their post players are the best post players we’ve played against this year,” IUP’s Megan Smith said. “They are very physical, it’s hard to get around them, they are 72-0 for a reason.”
Smith had 21 points, but could do little to stop Ashland’s onslaught on the glass. The Eagles’ owned a whopping 49-26 rebounding advantage. Standout guard Carolyn Appleby had 17 points and Brittany Robinson added 14 for the Crimson Hawks.
NEXT: Sixth-seeded Central Missouri (29-3) beat No. 7 seed Union (Tennessee) 70-57 in the earlier semifinal. The Jennies reached the title thanks to their trademark defense.
It will be Central Missouri’s first national championship date since 1985, a loss to Cal Poly Pomona.
The last time Ashland lost was on March 12, 2016, an 86-60 defeat at home to playoff nemesis Drury in the Midwest Regional semifinal.
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