The Asbury women’s basketball team is heading to the River States Conference semifinal Saturday following Wednesday’s improbable victory at the Luce Center against Oakland City.
The Eagles, with only six players in uniform — five of them freshmen — due to COVID-19 quarantine, beat Oakland City 82-72. All six Eagles players scored, five in double figures.
Asbury head coach Chad Mayes was forced to start a makeshift lineup with only one regular starter, senior Kelsey Johnson, who scored 12 points.
Freshman Trinity Shearer led the Eagles in scoring with 20 points, shooting 6-10 from three point range.
“Everyone stepped up tonight,” Mayes said. “The conference had asked us if we even wanted to play but not playing was never a thought.”
Mayes knew the one thing his team couldn’t afford was foul trouble. Thus, the Eagles conducted a clinic on how to defend without fouling, remarkably committing only four team fouls the entire game, none in the first half.
Mayes substituted methodically, making sure each player got a brief break. It worked to perfection as it seemed as if Oakland City, rather than the Eagles, was the first team to run out of gas.
The Eagles trailed 30-24 in the second quarter but ended the half with a 13-6 run to lead 37-36 at the break. In the third period, Asbury outscored Oakland City 26-11. Leading 49-43, the Eagles blew the game open in the fourth quarter with a 13-0 to take a commanding 62-43 lead.
Freshmen Paige Taylor and Emma Strunk added 19 and 13 points respectively. Kayla Harlow scored a season-high 10 points off the bench. Spencer Harvey added eight points and four assists.
The Eagles will play West Virginia Tech Saturday at the Luce Center. The time of the game has not been announced.
