SHAWNEE, Okla. – Jayana Sanders had a team-high 22 points, grabbing four assists, Lyrik Williams turned in a 17-point, 13-rebound double double, and a total of five Arkansas Tech players reached double figures as the Golden Suns basketball team (8-1, 4-1 Great American Conference) picked up a 96-87 win over Oklahoma Baptist (6-5, 1-4) on Thursday night at the Noble Complex.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• Arkansas Tech and OBU traded baskets in the opening minutes, with OBU grabbing an early 3-2 advantage after McKenzie Cooper answered Tech's opening bucket with a 3-pointer.
• The lead was OBU's only lead of the contest, as the Golden Suns responded with a 5-0 run to open up an 8-3 advantage with 8:43 remaining in the opening quarter.
• OBU pulled to within one at the 4:57 mark on another 3-pointer by Cooper, but a 7-0 run by the Golden Suns gave Tech a 22-14 advantage with 3:25 remaining.
• A layup by Jayana Sanders pushed the Golden Suns' lead into double digits (28-17) at the end of the opening quarter.
• Tech pulled ahead by as many as 12 points (31-19) before OBU charged back, cutting the Golden Suns lead to two (41-39) in the closing minutes of the half.
• However, Tech closed the half on a 5-0 run to take a seven-point (46-39) advantage into the half, and opened the second half with a bucket to extend the run to 7-0.
• Tech again pushed its lead into double figures (57-47) with a Jayana Sanders jumper at the 7:30 mark of the third quarter, and pulled ahead by as many as 14 (61-47) with 6:41 to play before OBU cut the Tech lead back to single digits.
• OBU's Tasha Edge buried a 3-pointer at the end of the third quarter to pull the Bison back to within 11 points (70-59) at the break.
• The Bison scored the first four points of the fourth quarter to narrow the Golden Suns' lead to seven (70-63) with 9:11 to play.
• Kylie Ladd picked up her fourth foul with 8:13 remaining.
• Tech responded with a 6-0 run to pull the lead back into double figures and claim a 13-point (76-63) advantage with 7:13 to play.
• The Bison were able to cut the Tech lead to nine twice in the first part of the fourth quarter, narrowing the deficit to 78-69 with 5:22 to play. However, the Golden Suns scored four straight points to push the lead back into double figures (82-69) with 4:38 remaining.
• Cooper buried another 3-pointer at the 3:18 mark to pull the Bison back to within eight points (82-74).
• After the Suns stretched the lead back into double figures, OBU narrowed the Tech gap to the single digits in the final minute, using a free throw at the 0:40 mark to pull the Bison to within seven (84-87).
• Ke'Vonshaye Stackhouse buried a pair of free throws in the final minute to set the game's final margin at 96-87.

NOTABLES

• OBU outshot Tech 51.7 to 43.8 percent from the floor.
• Tech held a 41-31 advantage on the rebounding glass, including a 14-4 advantage on the offensive glass.
• Tech outscored OBU 27-8 from the bench, 29-14 in points off turnovers, and 42-26 in the paint.
• Tech forced 21 OBU turnovers, committing only 12.

NEXT UP

• The Golden Suns are back in action on Saturday, Jan. 6, facing Southern Nazarene in a 1 p.m. matchup in Bethany, Okla.