Eagles Beat No. 25 IU Southeast for First Time in School History
WILMORE, Ky. – Trenia Barbee’s driving layup with 6.4 seconds left giving Asbury their first win over No. 25 Indiana Southeast and their first win over a ranked team. The final score of 81-79 snapped the Grenadiers 19-game KIAC win streak and snapped their 41-0 run over the Eagles dating back to the first game in the series in 1995.
Barbee (Detroit, Mich.) scored a game-high 24 points, including 16 of the Eagles’ first 23 points in the first half before heading to the bench with two fouls. The junior guard played only 22 minutes due foul trouble but came up big when Asbury needed it most.
Asbury (9-9, 2-0 KIAC) found themselves down 79-74 with 2:24 remaining, but would hold IUS scoreless for the rest of the game, breaking a season-long trend of losing leads late for Asbury. Lakin Griffith scored three straight points before Barbee tied the game at 79-79 with 46 seconds remaining. Griffith finished with 13 points and seven rebounds, also battling foul trouble.
“We are obviously thrilled to beat a great Indiana Southeast team,” Asbury coach Bart Flener said after the game. “They are a well coached team but our girls battled and battled and battled to get the win. We knew we could compete with them, but to get the result is the proof. “
Fouls were the story of the game throughout, as the Grenadiers marched to the free throw line 21 times in the first half, connecting on 18. They would finish 23-of-30. Asbury would take only 10 free throws, making six. The Eagles were whistled for 25 fouls, the Grenadiers only 12.
Indiana Southeast (13-6, 3-1 KIAC) had four players in double figures, led by Ashmere Woods with 18 points and 16 rebounds. Megan Murphy also recorded a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds.
Laura Carroll shook off a 0-for-3 first half to score 14 points in the second half, picking up the slack with Barbee on the bench and second-leading scorer Ellen Gray saddled with foul trouble. Carroll also added six assists as the Eagles dished out 19.
Gray scored only three points in 13 minutes before fouling out. She made only one-of-three three-point attempts. Gray came into the game leading the NAIA DII in 3-point percentage (50.0%) and ranked seventh with three three-pointers made per game.
Despite making only five-of-20 from three-point range, well below their season average of 36%, they shot 48.6% from the field, their highest percentage since December 2nd. IUS shot only 36% in the game.
The two teams will meet again in New Albany, Ind. on January 26th at 7 p.m.
Asbury will travel to Berea College on Tuesday for a 5:30 p.m. start before returning home to host Brescia University on Thursday.
