Arkansas Tech University Athletics

GOLDEN SUNS TO FACE HARDING AND MONTICELLO ON THE ROAD

02.12.20

RUSSELLVILLE, Ark.- Arkansas Tech University will resume the pursuit of its 26th regular season conference title in women's basketball with a pair of road games this week.
 
The Golden Suns will travel to Harding University for a Great American Conference contest on Thursday, Feb. 13, before venturing to the University of Arkansas-Monticello for a GAC game on Saturday, Feb. 15.
 
LISTEN
Saturday's game in Monticello is scheduled to begin at 2 p.m. Follow live coverage on KCJC 102.3 FM and www.arkansastechsports.com.
 
WHEN & WHERE
 
Thursday, Feb. 13, 5:30 p.m. Rhodes-Reaves Field House, Searcy
 
STANDINGS
ATU Golden Suns (14-6, 11-5 GAC) vs. HU Lady Bisons (15-7, 12-4 GAC)
Series: ATU leads 57-16
 
ABOUT THE GOLDEN SUNS
Arkansas Tech is tied for third place in the GAC standings with six games remaining in the regular season. The Golden Suns are one game behind co-leaders Harding and Southeastern Oklahoma State University despite having five players out due to injury for much of the season. Freshman forward Sarah Heard and junior forward Lycia Peevy are among those who have increased their production in recent weeks. Heard scored 20 points in a 96-95 overtime loss to Southern Arkansas University on Saturday and is averaging 17.4 points per game over her last seven outings. Peevy notched a career-high 26 points and matched her career high with 13 rebounds on Saturday. She is averaging 12.9 points and 9.1 rebounds in Tech's last seven games. Junior guards Jayana Sanders (867 points) and Ke'Vonshaye Stackhouse (842 points) are the Golden Suns' active leaders in career scoring. Freshman guard Kaley Shipman is 15-of-26 (58 percent) from 3-point range over her last six games.
 
ABOUT THE LADY BISONS
 Harding, preseason favorite to win the 2019-20 GAC women's basketball title, has surged to the front of the pack with an eight-game winning streak. The streak began with a come-from-behind, 75-71 overtime win at Arkansas Tech on Jan. 16. Senior forward Cheyenne Brown led the Lady Bisons past the Golden Suns with a career-high 28 points and 10 rebounds. Brown is averaging 17.4 points per game during Harding's winning streak. The Lady Bisons are 10-1 at home this season and 48-6 at Rhodes-Reaves Field House since the beginning of the 2016-17 season, but they are 0-2 in ATU's last two visits to Searcy. Thursday's game might very well be won and lost on the glass. Harding ranks No. 2 in the GAC in rebound margin (+7.5 per game). The only team in front of the Lady Bisons in that category is Arkansas Tech (+9.8 rebounds per game). Harding head coach Tim Kirby has accumulated 295 career wins, the same total as Arkansas Tech head coach Dave Wilbers.