RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. – Lyrik Williams turned in a 10-point, 12-rebound double-double, Jayana Sanders turned in a team-best 14 points, leading a cast of six Arkansas Tech basketball players as the Golden Suns (18-3, 14-3 Great American Conference) held on for a 74-69 victory over Oklahoma Baptist (12-11, 7-10) on Saturday at Tucker Coliseum.
 
NEXT UP

• The Golden Suns travel south on Thursday, Feb. 15 for a matchup with Southern Arkansas in Magnolia. Tip-off is set for 5:30 p.m.  

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Arkansas Tech opened the game on a 12-0 run over the first 4:21 of the contest.
• Oklahoma Baptist was able to pull to within seven (18-11) after an Autumn Avina 3-pointer with 2:55 remaining in the opening quarter, but Tech stretched its lead back to 12 (28-16) at the end of the quarter.
• The Golden Suns pushed ahead by as many as 15 points (41-26) with 3:55 to play in the first half, but Oklahoma Baptist narrowed the deficit to six (45-39) in the closing minute of the half before a 3-pointer by Jacie Higgins at the buzzer gave the Golden Suns a nine-point (48-39) advantage going into the break.
• Oklahoma Baptist narrowed the gap through the third quarter. After a Lyrik Williams layup with 3:11 to play in the quarter pushed Tech's lead to six (54-48), the Bison scored eight consecutive points to take the first lead of the contest at 56-54 with 1:23 to play.
• Tech tied the game on the subsequent possession at 56, and the two teams traded 3-pointers over the final minute to go into the fourth quarter tied at 59.
• The Golden Suns scored the first four points of the fourth quarter to reclaim the advantage before OBU scored its first points, and while the Bison would pull to within two (71-69) with 1:55 to play after a pair of Avina free throws, Tech held OBU off the board for the remainder of the contest to hold on for the win.

NOTABLES

• The Golden Suns outshot Oklahoma Baptist 43.5 to 41.8 percent and held a 45-31 rebounding advantage.
• Tech racked up 20 offensive boards to OBU's 10.
• Cheyenne North had four blocks.
• Joining Sanders and Williams in double figures were North (13 points), Kylie Ladd (12 points), Ke'Vonshaye Stackhouse (10 points), and Ryann Goodsell (10 points).
• North's all-around great game saw her rack up 13 points, six boards, five assists, and four blocks.
• Tech held a 17-5 advantage in points off turnovers, a 15-4 advantage in bench points, a 44-14 advantage in points in the paint, and a 15-8 advantage in second-chance points.