EDITOR’S NOTE: This story was submitted by Ashland University student Cade Cracas exclusively for Ashland Source and Richland Source.
ALLENDALE, Mich. — The No. 1-ranked Ashland University women’s basketball lost just two games during the 2023-24 season. Both defeats came to the same team, and the second of those losses ended AU’s year.
That decision arrived Saturday afternoon when the Eagles fell to Ferris State 64-59 in NCAA Regional Tournament action at Allendale, Michigan.
Ashland coach Kari Pickens called the Bulldogs (21-5) “a great team” before Saturday’s game. That comment may have been based in part on AU’s 66-62 loss at Kates Gymnasium on Dec. 16.
Unfortunately, her analysis proved to be correct, from the opening tip.
Ferris State dominated the first quarter to the tune of a 22-10 lead. It was a flurry the Eagles never could overcome.
“They came out really tough, really hard,” Pickens said. “They had a great gameplan and they deserved to win today.
“But I am really proud of my team’s fight until the very end.”
The Eagles fought, but they were unable to take flight thanks to a fierce Bulldogs’ defense.
“We played with toughness, got our hands on the basketball and playing with that huge lead was a key to most of this game,” Ferris State coach Kurt Westendorp said. “They made some of their runs but we were able to keep making a big play every time they made a run.”
The rematch was played at the same tempo and in the same scoring range as the first encounter. Neither of those factors worked in AU’s favor.
“I thought defensively we did some good things, holding them below their averages from the field and from three,” Pickens said. “I thought defensively we were sharp.
“We weren’t quite as sharp on the offensive end.”
That would be the storyline of the game from Ashland’s perspective.
The Eagles outscored Ferris State in each of the final three quarters, but it wasn’t decisive enough in the end. That was due largely to a subpar shooting night.
Pickens’ team made just 21 of 51 shots (41.2 percent) in the game, including an abysmal 6-of-28 from beyond the arc (28.6 perccent).
By halftime, AU had sliced the deficit to 35-26, but the warning signs were there. The Eagles’ typically proficient perimeter shooting touch emerged, and Ashland was in the process of suffering 17 turnovers.
“I thought we played an excellent game,” Westendorp said. “We really keyed in defensively and that has been the key to our first two wins.
“Our defense was locked into our game plan and these kids have just played with so much toughness.”
That grit on the defensive end paired with the scoring of elite forward Chloe Idoni, who poured in 17 of her game-high 21 points in the first half.
AU closed to within 45-39 heading to the final period, but was unable to come up with a sustained run to to turn the game in its direction.
In the final minute, the Eagles closed to within three points, but Bulldog guard Kaitlyn Blanchard drilled a 3-pointer from the logo for the last of her 16 points to slam the door shut.
“It got a little close for comfort at the end, but they were the defending national champions — that’s gonna happen,” Westendorp said.
Ashland had a balanced scoring effort with Hayley Smith recording 11 points and 11 rebounds. Annie Roshak chipped in 11 points and guard Macy Spielman contributed 10.
“We talked in the locker room about how this game … it hurts, to lose like this,” Roshak said. “But at the end of the day, it doesn’t define our careers and that’s not what defines this team.”
Guard Erin Daniels added seven points off the bench in her final game.
“I am so lucky that I got the opportunity to come to Ashland six years ago,” Daniels said. “I have grown on and off the court and that’s (thanks) to the team and Coach Pickens and the coaches that came before.
“It is not fun to lose but there is no other team I would want to finish out my career with.”
Ferris State will meet Grand Valley State on Monday in the regional championship game, with a berth to the Elite Eight on the line.
It was a path Ashland traveled last year on its way to a national championship.
“As a coach, I look back on the course of this season and things that you maybe wish you would have done differently in preparation for a game like this,” Pickens said. “But I have no regrets about this year for this team.
“I just wish I could have put our girls in a better position to attack that defensive scheme that Ferris did a good job with.”