Eagles overcome slow start, blow past Eutectics

ST. LOUIS, Mo. – After a slow start Asbury cruised to their sixth straight victory, 74-45 over St. Louis College of Pharmacy on Saturday afternoon.  The 45 points allowed is the lowest of the season and the lowest since November 23, 2009 when they held Crown College to 40.

For the second straight game Adam Delph (Louisville, Ky.) led the Eagles in scoring with 24 on Saturday.  But for the second straight game Delph added an all-around game to his scoring output, adding a team-best seven assists as well as five rebounds, and four steals.  The sophomore guard was highly efficient, missing only five of his 15 shots and hitting 3-of-5 three-pointers. 

The Eagles (15-6, 6-1 KIAC) never trailed in the game but didn’t jump out to a big lead as St. Louis Pharmacy’s (2-15, 0-5 KIAC) defense kept them close early.  Asbury didn’t push their lead to double-digits until just over eight minutes left in the first half at 27-17.  The teams went to the break with the Eagles up 11, 35-24.

Mid-way through the second half Asbury went on a 9-2 run to push their lead to 20 for the first time.  Delph scored seven of his 12 second-half points during that stretch.  The Eagles would close the game on a 24-8 run.

Flip Crawford recorded his 7th double-double of the season and second straight with 13 points and 10 rebounds.  Asbury pulled down 43 rebounds to 31 for the Eutectics.  Justin Jones did a little bit of everything for the second straight game with six points, six rebounds, five blocks, and four steals. 

Leading scorer and NAIA DII’s 6th leading scorer Phillip Morrison was held 14 points below his season average, to only nine points on 4-of-9 shooting.  This is the first time Morrison hasn’t been in double-figures since the first game of the season on October 30th when he scored nine points as well.  He breaks a streak of 18 straight games in double-figures and five straight with 20 or more points.

Asbury will head to Richmond, Indiana on Thursday to take on Indiana-East in a battle for first place in the KIAC on the line.  The Eagles will look for revenge for their only conference loss of the season, a 107-83 defeat at home on January 11th.  Asbury was won every game since that loss.