CLINTON, Iowa (Blugolds.com) – Down most of the game, the UW-Eau Claire men's basketball team came back to defeat Ashford University (Iowa), ranked 23rd in the latest NAIA poll, 64-63 with a buzzer beating layup at Kehl Arena tonight.
After trailing by as many as 13 points, the Blugolds tied the game up at 51 points with just over seven minutes remaining. While the teams went back and forth from there, Ashford took a Blugold turnover with just a few seconds left and scored to get up 63-62. After a Blugold timeout, Lewis Mau (Jr.-Colfax, Wis.) scored on a layup at the buzzer to give the Blugolds the win.
Just over four minutes into the game, the Blugolds led by one but Ashford then used a 23-9 run to get up by 13 with five minutes remaining in the opening half. The Blugolds got to within eight (36-28) by halftime.
In the second half, Ashford led by 12 points, three minutes into the half, but the Blugolds then outscored Ashford 18-6 to tie it up at 51 with just over seven minutes left before working their way to the one-point win.
Mau led the Blugolds in scoring with 21 points while completing a double-double with 10 rebounds. Two other Blugolds secured double-doubles, Kurtis Moody (So.-Pequot Lakes, Minn.) with 12 rebounds and 10 points along with Jared Miller (So.-Colfax, Wis.) with 11 rebounds and 12 points.
As a team the Blugolds shot 49.1 percent (27-for-55) from the field while Ashford went 19-for-49 (38.8 percent). Ashford scored 19 points from the free throw line while Eau Claire had just seven, while the Blugolds also had eight points off turnovers compared to 21 for Ashford.
Eau Claire improves to 5-5 overall, ending a three-game losing streak. Ashford drops to 10-4.
The Blugolds will now be off for a couple weeks with their next event scheduled for Dec. 30 when they host the two-day, four-team 45th Annual UW-Eau Claire Holiday Classic in Zorn Arena.
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