As the month of January winds down, Ashland University's winter teams continue to make their moves toward the postseason.
The Eagles' women's and men's basketball teams will begin a stretch of three Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference games in five days, Ashland's wrestling team is in the middle of its pre-regional dual schedule and AU's men's and women's indoor track and field teams continue to look for more qualifying spots at NCAA Division II nationals.
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL (LINK) – The No. 1-ranked Eagles (19-0, 11-0) will have had a week between games prior to playing three in five days, starting with Thursday (Jan. 26) at 5:30 p.m. at Walsh (9-9, 5-6) and Saturday (Jan. 28) at 1 p.m. at Kates Gymnasium against Findlay (9-10, 3-8).
Ashland has a 3½-game lead over Ohio Dominican in the GLIAC South Division, and a two-game lead over Saginaw Valley State in the conference overall. The Eagles' magic number for clinching a South title for the sixth time in seven seasons is six.
ONE TO WATCH: Freshman guard Jodi Johnson has scored 11.1 points per game this season, and is averaging 11.1 in the last seven games.
MEN'S BASKETBALL (LINK) – Ashland (11-6, 6-5) brings a four-game winning streak and a 5-1 record over the last six games into its three-in-five-days stretch, starting Thursday at 7:30 p.m. at Walsh (13-5, 6-5) and Saturday at 3 p.m. at home vs. Findlay (14-4, 8-3).
The Eagles are tied for second place in the GLIAC South with the Cavaliers, and are two games behind the Oilers for first place. With nine regular-season games to go, AU is in line for a third consecutive GLIAC Tournament appearance.
ONE TO WATCH: In the last two games, junior forward Marsalis Hamilton has posted 34 points on 13-of-18 shooting from the field and 8-of-10 shooting from the free-throw line, along with 15 rebounds, seven assists and just two turnovers.
WRESTLING (LINK) – The No. 12-ranked Eagles (4-2) continue the path toward next month's super regional with a tri-match on Saturday at Lake Erie against the Storm at 2 p.m. and vs. Kutztown at 5 p.m.
Ashland will have two more duals in February before the Super Region II on Feb. 24-25 in Indianapolis, Ind.
ONE TO WATCH: Junior 184-pounder Jordan Murphy is 4-0 this season, and recorded his first pin and technical fall last week in home wins over Lourdes and Davenport.
INDOOR TRACK AND FIELD (LINK) – The No. 6-ranked Ashland men and women will split off and head to both the Findlay Elite meet and the Penn State Penn Nationals on Friday (Jan. 27) and Saturday (Jan. 28).
The Eagles have earned four automatic and 25 provisional marks for D-II nationals, March 10-11 in Birmingham, Ala.
ONE TO WATCH: Sophomore Myles Pringle is on pace to qualify for indoor nationals in three events, having automatically qualified in the high jump and the 400-meter dash and ranking No. 6 in the country in the 200 dash.