CLINTON, Iowa - Down 18 points at halftime, Judson University's (1-2) frantic comeback attempt failed in the final minutes as they fell to Ashford University (3-1), 80-75. Judson was only down one-point with 5:32 remaining in the game but could not find a way to get the lead.

"We dug ourselves a huge hole in the first half as we were down 18 points," says head coach Tony Tompkins. "It is hard to come back from that big of a deficit but we did and made a game of it. It is still early in the season and we are still working out our kinks."

Josh Edwards hit three 3-pointers and shot 50% from the floor to lead Judson with 19 points. His counterpart, Landon Skinner, gave Judson 18 points. Jim Kuban recorded five rebounds and three steals to lead Judson.

Judson's only lead in the game came at the opening bucket from Skinner, 2-0. Ashford took an 11-point lead over the next nine minutes, 20-9, but Judson did put together a run to cut the lead to six, 22-16, with 9:22 left in the first half. Ashford then ignited their offense, again, and reeled out a 13-2 run for a commanding 17-point lead, 35-18 at the 6:11 mark.

Ashford's lead was trimmed to 10, 35-25, with a Judson run (7-0) but just as Judson tried to move forward Ashford finished the half with an 18-point lead, 49-31.

With 16 turnovers in the first half, Judson had a large pit to crawl out of in the second half. They did just that a little at a time. They started the second half on a 10-3 run to bring the lead back to 11, 52-41. Ashford put the lead at 14, 57-43, with 16:10 remaining only to see Judson score the next nine points. Ashford's lead was slimmed to five-points, 57-52, on a layup by Nate McNeely at the 13:56 mark. In the next two minutes, Judson would only score one-point as Ashford took an 11-point lead, 64-53.

An offensive spurt by Judson with a 12-2 run in six minutes put the Eagles right back into the game. The run brought Ashford's lead to one-point, 66-65. That is as close as Judson would get to retaking the lead. Ashford converted a three-point play right after Judson came within one to make it a four-point game. They moved their lead to seven, 73-66, with 2:22 left. Judson gave one last effort to try for the lead on a 7-3 run to cut the lead to three, 76-73, on a Ben Rayhorn three-pointer with 24 seconds left.

In the last 1:17 of the game, Ashford went 6-of-7 from the foul line and that was difference. In the last 30 seconds, they hit all six free throws.

Judson finished the game shooting 45% from the floor, 42% from three-point range, and 61% from the foul line while Ashford made 42% of their shots, 84% from the stripe, and 25% from the arc. Ashford also out rebounded Judson, 35-29.

Judson has their work cut out for them as they face #3 Bethel College on Friday, November 13^th, in Indiana.