ASHLAND, Ohio — No. 1-ranked Ashland hit six free throws in the final two minutes to defeat the third-ranked Drury Lady Panthers 79-73 to win the NCAA-II Midwest Regional championship and advance to the Elite Eight.
Drury battled from 14 points behind late in the third quarter to tie the game at 73-73 with 3:16 remaining.
Ashland’s Laina Synder connected on two free throws with 1:58 left to give the Eagles the lead. Drury missed opportunities to pull even and, with 12 seconds remaining, Ashland’s Andi Daugherty was sent to the free throw line after Heather Harman was called for a foul on Daugherty’s shot attempt as the shot clock expired.