RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. – Arkansas Tech University junior forward Lyrik Williams recorded game highs in both points (26) and rebounds (12) but it wasn't enough as the nationally 19th-ranked Golden Suns came out on the short end of an 84-76 decision to 25th-ranked Southwestern Oklahoma State this Thursday (Nov. 30) evening in a highly-competitive Great American Conference (GAC) contest between two undefeated teams at Tucker Coliseum.  Along with Williams, Tech (4-1, 2-1 GAC) received 17 points from freshman guard Jayana Sanders and 11 points by junior guard Kylie Ladd.  The loss snapped Tech's season-opening four-game winning streak while SWOSU (7-0, 3-0 GAC) kept its perfect record intact.         

HOW IT HAPPENED

    •    Trailing 6-4 three-plus minutes into the game, Arkansas Tech tallied seven straight points in the next 2:20 to claim an 11-6 lead.  SWOSU proceeded to go on a 5-2 run in the next minute of play to close within two (13-11) at the 3:36 mark, but the Golden Suns countered by scoring seven of the first quarter's final nine points to post a 20-13 lead.   

    •    Six consecutive SWOSU points in the second quarter's first minute narrowed the Golden Suns' margin a point at 20-19 and the Lady Bulldogs would tie the game at 22-apiece with 6:37 to go in the stanza.  A Kylie Ladd layup with six minutes left put Tech back in front 24-22 to start a string of 12 unanswered Golden Sun points, which featured eight points from Lyrik Williams, as the hosts built up a 34-22 advantage with 3:46 on the clock.

    •    SWOSU chipped away at its double-digit deficit and narrowed the gap to 36-31 with 1:09 remaining.  A bucket from Kylie Ladd pushed Tech's lead back to seven (38-31) before a Lady Bulldogs' trey with 21 seconds made the score 38-34 at the break.  

    •    Tech came out in the second half with a 7-2 run to take a nine-point lead at 45-36 with 8:47 in the third quarter following a pair of sophomore forward Ryan Goodsell free throws off a SWOSU technical foul.  However, the Lady Bulldogs bounced back by outscoring Tech 13-4 to tie the game up at 49-all with 4:39 remaining in the quarter.  The teams would exchange a three-point field goal before SWOSU hit another triple to claim a 55-52 advantage with 3:20 on the clock.  SWOSU upped its margin to seven at 61-54 via a three pointer at 1:28 although the Golden Suns rallied to draw within 61-58 just before the end of the third quarter.      

    •    Tech, which trailed the initial four minutes of the fourth quarter, managed to pull into a 65-all deadlock at the 6:34 mark per a Lyrik Williams' free throw.  A layup by Jayana Sanders with 4:43 to go in the game drew the Golden Suns back into another tie at 67, but SWOSU's Savannah Gray drained a shot from beyond the three-point arc with four minutes left (70-67) to give the Lady Bulldogs the lead for good.

          •    A late Tech surge narrowed the margin to 80-76 with 40 seconds remaining, but the Golden Suns wouldn't get any closer as SWOSU converted four free throws in the time left. 

NOTABLES

    •    Tech finished shooting 37.8 percent (28-74) from the floor while SWOSU connected on 35.3 percent (24-68) of its shots.

    •    The Golden Suns held a 48-47 rebounding margin as both teams hauled in 14 apiece on the offensive end. 

    •    Tech outscored SWOSU 32-16 in the paint, which included a 22-8 advantage in the first half.

    •    Lyrik Williams compiled double-digit rebounds for the third time this season with her season-high 12 boards versus SWOSU.  Williams pulled down 11 caroms apiece in her first two appearances this season - against Lane (11/12) and at East Central (11/16).

    •    Senior forward Cheyenne North totaled nine rebounds, five offensive, to go with six points and three blocked shots before fouling out in 34 minutes of action.

     •    Jayana Sanders has scored double-figure points in all five Tech games this season to date.  Sanders' 17 points against SWOSU represents a season high, bettering her 16 points versus Mississippi College (11/21).   

    •    Hailey Tucker, the 2016-17 GAC Player of the Year, and Hayden Priddy compiled 17 points apiece to lead four SWOSU players in double-figure scoring.  Hailey, who was held to three points in the first half, grabbed a squad-best 10 rebounds as did Bethany Franks.  SWOSU had three players - Hailey Tucker (17 pts. & 10 rebs.), Bethany Franks (10 pts. & 10 rebs.), and Hayden Priddy (17 pts. & 11 asts.) compile double doubles. 

    •    WOSU attempted 37 three-point field goals in the game and connected on 15 for 40.5 percent.  Tech was 4-18 in three points for a 22.2 percent success rate.

    •    Both teams were efficient at the free throw line as Tech hit on 80 percent (16-20) of its attempts and SWOSU was successful on 77.8 percent (21-27).

NEXT UP

    •    Arkansas Tech returns to Tucker Coliseum this Saturday (Dec. 2) as the Golden Suns finish up their home stand facing the Northwestern Oklahoma State Lady Rangers in a 1 p.m. GAC contest, which will be broadcast live on 102.3 FM (KCJC) in Russellville.