Southwestern Oklahoma State University ended Arkansas Tech University’s 22-game home winning streak in women’s basketball by defeating the Golden Suns 72-69 at Tucker Coliseum in Russellville on Thursday night.
The Lady Bulldogs (2-1 overall, 1-0 GAC) bounced back from a pair of 19-point, first-half deficits to hand nationally 25th-ranked Arkansas Tech (1-1, 0-1) its first home loss since Dec. 14, 2014.
“We got off to a terrific start,” said Golden Suns head coach Dave Wilbers. “We had a bad second quarter. We let them get back in the game and build some confidence.”
Arkansas Tech finished 25-of-83 (30 percent) from the field.
“It wasn’t a lack of execution,” said Wilbers. “We were getting a lot of shots in the paint. We just didn’t make them. We have to get tougher and finish those shots.”
Arkansas Tech used its defense to claim a 21-7 lead at the end of the first quarter. The Golden Suns limited the Lady Bulldogs to 3-of-17 field goal shooting over the first 10 minutes.
The second quarter was a different story. Southwestern Oklahoma State was 9-of-17 from the field in the second 10 minutes and cut Arkansas Tech’s lead to 39-36 at the intermission.
The Lady Bulldogs took their first lead of the game at 57-56 on a Savannah Gray 3-pointer with 54 seconds left in the third quarter.
Southwestern Oklahoma State led by as many as six points in the fourth quarter, but layups by Cheyenne North and Kelsey McClure in the final minute allowed the Golden Suns to pull within three points of the lead.
After SWOSU missed two free throws with 16.5 seconds left, Arkansas Tech got off a try at a tying 3-pointer at the buzzer. It went in-and-out, and the Golden Suns’ home winning streak was finished.
Tech’s Calli White scored 19 points. She was 5-of-11 from 3-point range. McClure finished with 17 points and eight rebounds, while Anissa Pounds and Danielle Frachiseur added 12 points apiece.
Hayden Priddy had 17 points for the Lady Bulldogs, including five points in the final 2:20. Hailey Tucker notched 16 points and Tyra Aska had 13 points for SWOSU.
The Golden Suns will host Northwestern Oklahoma State University for a 1 p.m. GAC contest at Tucker Coliseum on Saturday, Nov. 19.
