After the football team’s playoff loss to West Texas A&M left Ashland fans cold and disheartened, many of them entered Kates Gymnasium looking for warmth and entertainment from the top-ranked women’s basketball team.

The Eagles did not disappoint, dismantling Urbana 105-72 on the first day of the Ashland Holiday Inn Classic.

Senior forward Kari Daugherty was tremendous, scoring a game-high 30 points and grabbing 15 rebounds in 24 minutes of play. She had 25 points and 10 rebounds by halftime. After missing her first shot from the field, she made 13 shots in a row, including three 3-pointers.

“I just try to go out and do my part for the team,” Daugherty said. “My part is to be aggressive and finish whenever they get me the ball and go get some rebounds, so that’s what I try to do every game.”

Daugherty was 13 of 15 from the field, 3 of 3 from behind the arc and 1-for-1 from the free throw line. She also added two assists and two steals.

“She was just efficient to the max and in the flow of everything,” head coach Sue Ramsey said. “She passes up shots she probably could take just because she makes great basketball plays.”

It was the Blue Knights that jumped out to a 4-0 lead. They continued to play the Eagles tough for the first six minutes, trailing 13-11.

Then, the Eagles went on a 20-0 run over the next 4:34, a stretch that showed why they are the top team in the nation. Daugherty scored 11 of those 20 points.

She was not the only one that was on fire. AU shot 55. percent (40 of 72) from the field, 47.4 percent (9 of 19) from 3-point range and 80 percent (16 of 20) from the free throw line.

“The flow of the offense was awesome,” Daugherty said. “We were really looking for extra passes the whole game.”

Sophomore guard Taylor Woods, who scored 11 in the first half, finished with 16 points and went 3 of 5 from behind the arc.

Junior guard Alyssa Miller, who led the team with six assists, added seven points and six rebounds.

Eleven of the 12 Eagles that saw the floor scored. When the bench players took over with 12 minutes to play, they played with the same intensity and execution as the starters.

“I was so proud of them,” Daugherty said. “They work just as hard as anybody who gets to play on this court, and it was awesome to get to see them go out and perform well.”

Sophomore guard Melanie Poorman had 10 points, two rebounds and two assists in 10 minutes, and junior guard Noelle Yoder and freshman guard McKenzie Miller each had eight points. Miller also grabbed five rebounds.

Ciara Geiger led the Blue Knights with 21 points.

Ashland will play Mercyhurst, who fell 59-44 to Northern Michigan in Saturday’s first game, 4 p.m. Sunday.