SEARCY, Ark. –  Hannah Villines turned in a monster 21-point, eight rebound, six steal effort while Kiara Moses added 16 points and a game-winning 3-pointer as the Arkansas Tech Golden Suns basketball team (6-9, 3-6 Great American Conference) held on to a 68-67 overtime win over the Harding Lady Bisons (11-5, 6-4 GAC) on Thursday night at Rhodes-Reaves Field House.
 
NEXT UP

• Arkansas Tech returns to action on Saturday, Jan. 19, as the Golden Suns travel to Arkadelphia, Ark. to face off Henderson State at the Duke Wells Center. A 1:00 p.m. tip-off is scheduled.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Harding used the opening 90 seconds of play to build an early 7-0 lead. Despite starting the game 1-for-9 from the field, Tech only trailed the Lady Bisons 15-10 after six minutes of play.
• Tech ended the first quarter on an 8-2 run and took its first lead of the game (18-17) after Kiara Moses record a steal and converted it into a fast break layup.
• Over the opening three minutes of play in the second quarter there were five lead changes as both teams battled to create separation, HU led 25-24.
• Tech broke a 3:58 scoreless drought after Moses tallied her second steal of the game, taking it to the other end for a fast break layup to bring the score to 28-26 with 3:55 remaining in the first half.
• The Lady Bisons outscored Tech 4-0 in the final two minutes of the first half to take a 34-28 lead into the locker room. HU shot 50 percent in the first half, while Tech shot 32 percent.
• Ke'Vonshaye Stackhouse scored six of Tech's first nine points of the second half to cut the HU advantage to 38-36 at the 6:55 minute mark.
• Tech regained the lead on the next possession after Ryan Goodsell converted a 3-point play to give the Suns a 39-38 advantage.
• Villines extended the lead to 41-38 with a fast break layup, but Harding knotted the game up at 41-41 after Amanda Kearney hit a 3-pointer. HU used that 3-pointer to spark a 6-0 run, giving the Lady Bisons a 44-41 lead with 3:03 remaining in the third quarter.
• Lyrik Williams gave Tech a 45-44 lead after making a contested layup in the paint, however HU was quick to respond as a 3-point play on the other end tilted the advantage in favor of Harding 47-45.
• Villines converted a 3-point play to tie the game at 48-48 with 51 seconds remaining in the third quarter. Tech and Harding went into the fourth quarter tied at 48-48.
• Harding scored six of the first eight points of the fourth quarter to take a 54-50 lead.
• Moses trimmed the deficit to three points (58-55) after draining a corner 3-pointer at the 6:32 minute mark.
• Both teams were held scoreless over the next two minutes, until a Cheyenne Brown layup for Harding and a Moses layup for Tech put the score at 61-57 with 3:55 remaining in regulation.
• After holding Harding scoreless for 3:24 and forcing three straight HU turnovers, Jayana Sanders tied the game up at 61-61 after drilling a jumper from the free throw line with 54 seconds left to play.
• Tech came up with a big stop on the next possession and had the ball with 18 seconds left in regulation with a chance to win the game, but a Sanders missed layup forced the game into overtime.
• Harding scored the first two points of overtime, going 2-for-4 from the line to take a 63-61 advantage.
• Jacie Higgins tied the game at 63-63 on the next possession after hitting two free throws. Then Villines gave Tech its first lead (65-63) of overtime after scoring on a driving layup at the 1:56 minute mark.
• Kellie Lampo tied the game at 65-65 with 28 seconds left in overtime.
• Tech held the ball for the final shot, after running through its motion offense, Sanders passed the ball to Moses, who drained a wide open corner 3-pointer to give the Suns a 68-65 lead with 0.2 seconds left in overtime.
• Tech was given a technical foul for running on the court before the clock expired, Harding converted both technical free throws to put the score at 68-67 with 0.2 seconds remaining.
• Harding made an attempt at a tip-in layup for the win, but missed, giving the Golden Suns a 68-67 victory.

NOTABLES

• Harding outshot Tech 37.0 to 36.0 percent.
• The Lady Bisons controlled the rebounding glass with a 58-37 advantage.
• Tech held a 44-32 advantage in points in the paint and a 14-4 advantage in fast break points.
• The Golden Suns forced Harding into committing a season-high 30 turnovers, resulting in 18 Tech points.
• Stackhouse joined Villines and Moses in double figures with 12 points. Moses's 16 points is a new career-high.
• Tech recorded 19 steals, which is the most by the Suns in a GAC contest this season. Villines led with a team-high six steals, followed by Higgins (5) and Moses (4).