GOLDEN SUNS EXTEND WIN STREAK TO FIVE STRAIGHT, COLLECT
15-POINT HOME VICTORY OVER HARDING

        RUSSELLVILLE, Arkansas – Arkansas Tech Women’s Basketball, who is ranked 12th in this week’s USA Today/ESPN WBCA D-II Top 25 Coaches’ Poll, used a strong effort here Thursday to post its fifth consecutive victory, a 77-62 decision over Harding in Gulf South Conference action in front of a season-high crowd of 787.

With the win, Tech, who improved to 21-3 overall and 10-1 in the GSC, can finish no worse than second in the West Division. Tech has three games remaining in the regular season and is four games ahead of Harding and Arkansas-Monticello and one game behind top-ranked Delta State, the only team to defeat the Golden Suns in league play this season.

“I thought we played a really good game tonight, especially in the second half,” Golden Suns Head Coach Dave Wilbers said. “It was a great crowd tonight, probably our best crowd of the year.”

Tech, who led 37-34 at the half, opened the second half on an 18-10 run to push its lead to 55-44 with 13:47 left in the game. The run was capped by a three-pointer from junior guard Nikki Earles (Huntsville, Ark.).

Following Tech’s run, the Lady Bisons (16-8, 6-5 GSC) used a 13-4 run over a span of four-plus minutes to pull within 59-57 on a lay-up by Stacey Owens. Two free throws by junior forward Amanda Grappe (Benton, Ark.), the reigning GSC West Division Player of the Week for the second consecutive week, hit two free throws 24 seconds after Owens’ lay-up to begin a 15-3 run to extend Tech’s lead to 76-60 with 1:39 remaining in the game. Harding’s Leah Fugett hit a lay-up with 1:15 left to drop Tech’s lead to 76-62, before sophomore guard Ashley Grappe (Benton, Ark.) closed the game’s scoring by hitting one-of-two free throws.

“We executed our offense well and I thought we got good shots all night, but we missed a lot of close shots,” Wilbers added. “Harding was doubling down on our post players, but our guards stepped up and knocked down some shots.”

Amanda Grappe led the way for Tech with a double-double of 24 points and 10 rebounds. The double-double was Grappe’s fourth straight and ninth of the season. In addition, senior forward Krishna Baker (Little Rock, Ark.) added 19 points and 10 boards before fouling out in the final minute of the game. Two other Golden Suns reached double-digits as Earles had a season-high 14 points and sophomore guard Brittany Gottsponer (Morrilton, Ark.) had 10 points, including eight in the second half.

“Amanda and K.B. are great low post players and if you play them 1-on-1, you are going get beat,” the Tech coach added. “Both of them played All-GSC players tonight.”

Harding was paced by Owens’ 21 points, while Kaitlin May added 13 points and eight rebounds for the Lady Bisons.

In the first half, Harding used a 14-3 run over a span of five-plus minutes to turn an 11-all game into a 25-14 lead. Tech, though, responded as they used a 20-7 run to take a 35-32 lead on a lay-up by Amanda Grappe. Following’s Grappe’s lay-up, Harding’s Catherine McMenamy hit two free throws with 47 seconds remaining, before Gottsponer hit a lay-up right before the buzzer.

For the game, Tech shot 47 percent from the field and 35 percent from the 3-point line, while Harding shot 40 percent from the floor and 27 percent (7-for-26) from long distance. In addition, Tech held a 35-34 edge on the glass and forced 20 turnovers that led to 23 points.

Tech will return to action on Saturday, Feb. 23, when they travel to Monticello, Ark., to face Arkansas-Monticello in a 2 p.m. match-up at Steelman Fieldhouse. UAM enters the game fresh off a 90-87 overtime win on Thursday at Henderson State.

         Harding Box Score

 -- Tech Athletics --