Shouse was pleased with his guard play, which could shape up to be one of the top tandems in the Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.
"Phillip Morrison and Michael Spann both played well," he said. "They've only been playing together for three or four months, so them playing together is only going to get better."
Because of the Eagles' lack of size, the fast pace on both ends of the court is going to benefit them down the stretch, as they look to get the ball up the court and get off shots as quickly as possible to get as many possessions as they can. The full-court press that Shouse implemented contributed to about half of the 30 turnovers that Asbury forced.
"The press is awesome because it allows you to play extremely aggressive, which is what makes it so awesome," senior John Ensign said. "You don't think for a second about failing or about losing the ball. You don't think about messing up - the press just gives you this sheer aggression, and it carries over into every aspect of the game."
"It's a lot of intensity - it gives players a chance to find a spot on the floor and play their hearts out," Shouse said. "If they can get good at more than one position, then their playing time goes up."
Shouse said getting his first win right out of the gate gave him some peace of mind heading into the rest of the season.
"It took me five games to get my first win at Kentucky Christian, so to get the first one, for the future, for now, it's just a weight off my shoulders," he said. "It means even more than just a win for these guys - it's a new era."
In the second game of the Zweifel Invitational, Asbury suffered its first loss of the season, falling 92-84 to Spring Arbor University.
Morrison led the team with 27 points and four assists and hit five 3-pointers, and Spann collected 19 points, nine rebounds and five assists. Spann, however, had a rough shooting day, going just 5-for-13 from the field, 2-for-8 from three and 7-for-15 from the free throw line, including key free throw misses down the stretch.
Asbury sank to a 19-point halftime deficit but stormed back in the second half due in part to making nine 3-pointers. The Eagles got within as close as five points with three minutes left but couldn't complete the comeback.
"That's what happens - that's a tale of two halves," Morrison said. "The first half (3-pointers) weren't falling; in the second half it felt like that anybody that threw it up, it would go in. That's part of our identity."
Asbury took a big hit when Johnson fouled out with 10 minutes left in the second half. He was whistled for his fourth foul with 11 minutes remaining, and Shouse didn't get Keith Price up to sub in for him until after play resumed. Johnson picked up his fifth less than a minute later.
"Brian is our rock," Morrison said. "He's our back man that can play in the paint, so that hurt a whole lot. We just came up a little short - that's how it is sometimes."
Asbury followed the loss up by beating Free Will Baptist 89-71 Tuesday night.
