RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. – Arkansas Tech women's basketball will open the 2016-17 regular season on Saturday, hosting Lane College in Tucker Coliseum at 1 p.m. The Golden Suns will look to win their ninth consecutive season-opener, dating back to 2008.
 
Tech is coming off an exhibition win last Sunday, defeating professional development club Dallas Diesel, 97-85. The Golden Suns received 20-point scoring efforts from seniors Danielle Frachiseur, Calli White and Kelsey McClure. Anissa Pounds added 16 points, seven boards and five assists.
 
Seven newcomers will suiting up for their first regular-season game in a Tech uniform, while seven student-athletes will be returning from last season. The Golden Suns will look to replace their leading scorer and rebounder from last season but will retain the team's top three-point specialist in Pounds, who finished the season shooting 42 percent from deep, fourth best in the Great American Conference.
 
Last season, Tech defeated Lane, 82-62, outscoring the Dragons 26-11 in the third quarter. White finished the contest with a trio of three-pointers for nine points, to go along with a game-high 5 assists. The Golden Suns forced 30 turnovers, the most by an opponent in the entire 2015-16 season, resulting in 37 points for Tech. The Golden Suns also posted season-highs in steals with 15.
 
Lane will open its regular season on Saturday, as well, after dropping its only exhibition to the Alabama-Birmingham. Tech is undefeated in four games against the Dragons, including an 82-32 win in 2002 to begin the series.
 
Live stats, audio and video for the game will be available at www.arkansastechsports.com.