EDITOR’S NOTE: This story was updated at 10:53 p.m.
ASHLAND — The two best Division II women’s basketball teams in the nation may have very well met on Monday night at Kates Gymnasium.
Alas, the pivotal matchup took place in the Midwest Regional championship game. No matter for Ashland University, which repelled its toughest challenge of the season by edging Grand Valley State 61-58.
“GVSU is definitely one of the best teams in the country,” coach Kari Pickens said. “It’s a shame this had to be a Sweet 16 game.”
It could’ve easily been the final game for the No. 1-ranked Eagles (34-0), who leaned on their own innate confidence to find a way against a stingy foe. As a result, AU now heads to St. Joseph, Missouri for an Elite Eight matchup on Monday. It will take two wins there to send Ashland to its ultimate goal, the national championship game on April 1 in Dallas.
“This was a wild game,” senior guard Savaya Brockington said.
Survive and advance is the March Madness mantra, and the Eagles did exactly that while putting a boisterous, near-capacity home crowd on the edge of its collective seat. AU weathered an awful second-quarter storm, ripped off its own third-quarter flurry, and hung on to beat the nation’s fifth-ranked squad.
“Our girls just stepped up to the challenge,” Pickens said. “I’m so proud of them. They played really selflessly, really together. I couldn’t be more proud of my team coming out on top.”
It was a tense tilt played at a snail’s pace. Ashland nudged in front 12-8 after the first quarter, with Brockington getting the Eagles off on the right foot, scoring 7 of her team-high 17 points.
But the Lakers responded, with authority. Grand Valley State is known for its superior interior play, but coach Mike Williams’ squad drilled five treys in the second quarter to rocket in front 29-23 at the half.
An uneasy sense set into the home crowd, but that feeling didn’t make its way to the AU lockerroom.
“We’ve been in close games before,” senior forward Annie Roshak said. “We were only down two possessions, and we got it back in two possessions.”
Indeed. Brockington started the second half much like the first, powering her way to the basket for an and-one, and after a turnover, Maddie Maloney dropped a triple to tie the game at 29-29 with 8:13 showing in the third quarter.
Now it was on.
Pickens’ team opened the third quarter with a 9-0 blitz, and netted five treys in the quarter during a 22-9 sprint that staked AU to a 45-38 margin going to the final 10 minutes.
“We knew it was going to be a battle, but I just have so much confidence in our team,” Maloney said. “This was just a great test for our team.”
The Eagles passed it, but not without some nervous moments.
Grand Valley State scored on seven of its first nine possessions in the fourth quarter to climb within 57-53 at the 3:45 mark. But Roshak never let the Lakers grab the lead, scoring in the lane on three of four possessions, the final bucket at 2:45 made it 59-53.
GVSU’s Emily Spitzley was fouled while shooting a trey, and knocked down all three free throws to slice the gap to 59-56. After a missed AU field goal attempt, Grand Valley’s Ellie Droste added a bucket in the paint to trim the margin to 59-58 with 12.6 seconds showing.
The Eagles called a timeout and immediately inbounded to Macy Spielman. The heady junior was fouled instantly at the 11-second mark. She calmly toed the line and drilled both free throws to make it 61-58.
“I just kept saying ‘Lord, your will be done,’ ” Spielman said. “If (Coach Pickens) believes I can do it, then she put me in that position for a reason. I’d do anything for these girls, whatever they want me to do, I want to come through for them.”
Grand Valley State (31-3) had a final possession, but a long three bounced away and went out of bounds to Ashland with less than a second remaining. The inbounds pass to Brockington ended the game and began the celebration.
“This felt like a national championship game,” Spielman said as fans crowded the players and coaches on the floor.
Roshak collected 14 points to support Brockington for the Eagles, while Maloney and Hallie Heidemann each registered 10 points. Heidemann grabbed 10 rebounds and was voted the tournament’s MVP, while Roshak joined her on the all-tournament team. Spielman played 19:28 seconds off the bench, but had a key fourth-quarter bucket in the lane to go with her clutch free throws and booked a team-high +11 in the plus-minus category.
“Savaya was just outstanding. She was fearless. You can’t coach that,” Pickens said. “Macy we’re using a little bit differently this year but she does whatever it takes for us. My goodness Macy made some huge, clutch plays for us.”
Droste led everyone with 25 points, while Spitzley chipped in 13 and Rylie Bisballe added 12 for the Lakers. Grand Valley routinely outrebounds foes by +12, but the Eagles held their own on the boards, losing that battle just 35-33.
“Wow, what a win,” Pickens said.
She then climbed the ladder to snip the nets.
NOTES: Heidemann was voted the Most Outstanding Player of the Midwest Regional. She was joined on the all-tournament team by Ashland’s Annie Roshak, Grand Valley State’s duo of Ellie Droste and Rylie Bisballe, along with Keeley Carter, of Trevecca Nazarene
Ashland and Grand Valley State have been the only two teams in the nation ranked No. 1 in this year’s Division II women’s basketball poll. The Lakers were atop the rankings for the first six weeks, with the Eagles moving on top for the final 10 polls.
Grand Valley State reached the regional title tilt by rallying to knock off second-seeded and No. 2-ranked Drury 61-53. The Lakers overcame a six-point fourth-quarter deficit and dominated the final period to dismiss the Pioneers.
Three of the nation’s top five teams were in the Midwest Regional. No. 1-ranked Ashland won it by beating fifth-ranked Grand Valley State, who knocked off second-ranked Drury in the regional semifinals.
Grand Valley won the regional in 2022 by beating Walsh at Kates Gymnasium. Walsh had eliminated Ashland in the regional semifinals. The Lakers reached the Final Four before bowing out of last year’s tournament.
The Division II Sweet 16 was peppered with an incredible seven No. 1 seeds.
Ashland 61, Grand Valley St. 58
