GOLDEN SUNS USE STRONG FREE THROW SHOOTING TO RUN WIN STREAK TO SIX WITH ROAD VICTORY OVER ARKANSAS-MONTICELLO

        RUSSELLVILLE, Arkansas – 12th-ranked Arkansas Tech Women’s Basketball used solid free throw shooting down the stretch to hold off a late rally from Arkansas-Monticello to post a 71-68 victory over the Cotton Blossoms in Gulf South Conference action at Steelman Fieldhouse.

Tech, who improved to 22-3 overall and 11-1 in the GSC, hit 7-of-8 free throws over the final four minutes of the game to hold off UAM’s rally and collect its sixth straight win and match last season’s win total of 22. For the game, Tech shot 91 percent (20-for-22) from the free throw line.

“We struggled at times offensively today, but give credit to UAM, they are the most improved team in the league,” Golden Suns Head Coach Dave Wilbers said. “Free throws won us the game today. We were fantastic at line and it turned out we needed every bit of those made free throws.”

Tech, who led 38-32 at the half thanks to a 13-2 run over the final six minutes of the first half, took an 11-point lead at 62-51 with 4:17 remaining in the game following a basket by sophomore guard Ashley Grappe (Benton, Ark.). The 11-point lead was the largest of the game for either team.

Following Grappe’s basket, UAM began to chip away at the lead as Janette Thompson hit a trey to spearhead a 15-7 run to pull within 69-66. UAM’s run was capped by Thompson’s fifth and final three-pointer of the game. Junior forward Amanda Grappe (Benton, Ark.), the reigning two-time GSC West Division Player of the Week, pushed her team’s lead to 71-66 on two free throws, before UAM’s Gemma Gibson closed the scoring on a lay-up with three seconds.

“I thought we made some good adjustments in the second half after UAM took some things away from us,” the first-year Tech coach said.

Senior forward Krishna Baker (Little Rock, Ark.) led Tech with 20 points and added nine rebounds, while Ashley Grappe had 18 points, five rebounds and three assists and senior forward Daiane Domingos (Sao Paulo, Brazil) added 11 points in the win.

“I thought Ashley played her best game of the season tonight,” Wilbers said. “She made some terrific drives to the basket when we needed it and seem to get us going when we needed spark.”

 UAM’s defense seemed focused on limiting the scoring of Amanda Grappe as the Cotton Blossoms (13-12 overall, 6-6 GSC) held the 6-footer to just eight points, which was nine below her season average and also snapped her streak of four consecutive double-doubles. Despite being held to eight points, Amanda Grappe did set a milestone with her 11 rebounds as she became just the 14th Golden Sun player in school history to score 1,000 points and pick up 500 rebounds.

The Cotton Blossoms were led by Thompson’s 19 points, while Andrea Dubose added 18 points.

          Tech’s 13-2 run to close out the first half erased a five point deficit. The run began with a three-point play by Amanda Grappe and ended with a lay-up by Ashley Grappe with 1:15 left in the half. During Tech’s run, UAM was held without a point for almost four minutes.

 For the game, Tech shot 44 percent from the field, but was just 3-for-12 (25 percent) from the 3-point line, while UAM shot 35 percent from the field and 31 percent (11-for-36) from downtown. In addition, Tech held a 45-36 edge on the glass, but committed 23 turnovers, which led to 20 UAM points.

The Golden Suns will return to action on Thursday, Feb. 28, when No. 1 ranked Delta State (24-0, 12-0 GSC) comes to Tucker Coliseum for a battle for first place in the West Division standings. Tip-off for Thursday’s game is set for 5:30 p.m. The Lady Statesmen collected a 65-63 win over the Golden Suns in Cleveland, Miss., on Jan. 31.

“Our team is looking forward to Thursday’s match-up with Delta State,” the Tech coach said. “It should be a nice battle and we’ll be ready for it.”

         Arkansas-Monticello Box Score

 -- Tech Athletics --