Asbury survives scare from Ohio Christian
The Asbury College Eagles overcame a sluggish start and a poor second half to earn an 86-81 overtime win over Ohio Christian University Friday night in Wilmore.
Asbury went into the locker room with a 42-37 lead at halftime, but 27-percent shooting in the second half allowed OCU to come back and tie the game at 65 with 2:35 remaining on a lay-up by sophomore Michael Baker.
Asbury senior Michael Spann answered with a bucket of his own and then a wild, off-balanced jumper falling to his right to push the lead to 69-65.
“It was one of those things where I felt if the game went into overtime, we were going to win,” Spann said. “I felt like with coach calling high ball screens, I felt like I could get open and create something. So we ran that a few times, and I got open and hit some shots.”
Baker converted on the other end with another lay-up after appearing to travel. Then, after a missed 3-pointer by sophomore Phillip Morrison, the Blazers called a timeout with 15 seconds left and a chance to tie or win. Junior guard Rickshontae (real name) Spell drove to the basket and was fouled by Spann with eight seconds left. Spell knocked down both of the free throws to tie it, and senior Patrick Crouse missed a contested lay-up that would have won the game at the buzzer.
With the Eagles leading 80-78 in overtime, Morrison this time connected on a 3-pointer with 58 seconds left that looked to cement the win for Asbury. But junior Tyler Logsdon fouled Delorean Glanton on a circus up-and-under that somehow found the net, and Glanton converted the free throw to bring it back within two points with 32 seconds left. Sophomore Cory Britt and junior Daniel Drury went 3-for-4 from the free-throw line down the stretch to seal the game for the Eagles.
Along with stymieing the OCU comeback, Spann led the Eagles with 25 points and six rebounds.
“I looked at Michael after he hit one of the shots, and I could see that look in his eye,” Head Coach Will Shouse said. “So we didn’t run any plays, we just set a high ball screen to Michael every trip after I saw that look.”
“I’ve always taken pride in that situation,” Spann said. “It’s one of those things that’s exciting when the game’s on the line. I don’t mind creating or having the ball in my hands.”
Morrison scored 23 points for Asbury. Brian Johnson had 12 points, eight rebounds and five assists, and Britt added 12 points and seven boards.
Friday’s game was the first one since Dec. 13, a fact that Shouse said contributed to sluggish play on his team’s part.
“After the long Christmas break, I expected to have a slow start — I guess I’m glass half empty on that,” he said. “I wish we’d had a lighter game to come out to. (OCU) is in the same league I coached in last year, and they gave us fits.”
The Blazers used their athletic guards to take the Eagles one-on-one and test Asbury’s halfcourt defense, forcing Shouse to switch to a zone. He said that style of play would prepare his team for Saturday’s conference opener against Indiana University-Southeast.
“Now are they as good as IU-Southeast? No, but they’re in the same category,” he said. “It helps your on-the-ball defense, things like that. A win’s a win — it knocks a little bit of the rust off. And one more game till Hammonds.”
More on that later.
