GAME DAY INFORMATION
ARKANSAS TECH GOLDEN SUNS 6-0 (5-0 GAC)	HENDERSON STATE REDDIES 1-4 (1-3 GAC)
Thursday, February 4 | 5:30 p.m. Russellvile, Ark. | Tucker Coliseum LIVE STATS | LIVE VIDEO | LISTEN LIVE | ATU NOTES

TIPPING OFF
Off to a 6-0 start for the first time since the 2014-15 season, the Arkansas Tech Golden Suns basketball team is back in Tucker Coliseum to take on the Henderson State Reddies on Thursday night.
The last time the Golden Suns competed, they took down Southern Arkansas in Magnolia, 82-75 in their first game in 16 days due to COVID-19 protocols.

The game was close all 40 minutes as neither team could find an offensive rhythm early on, until the Lady Muleriders used a 7-2 run to take a nine point lead going into halftime. Southern Arkansas took its largest lead of 11 with eight minutes left in the third quarter.

The Golden Suns found their stride in the third quarter, tying the game 46-46 after a layup from Hannah Villines with 3:17 left in the quarter.  Arkansas Tech scored six of the last seven points to take a 55-51 going into the final frame.

Southern Arkansas did not give up in the fourth as they took a two-point lead 69-67 with 5:24 left in the game. A layup from Kaley Shipman with 3:45 left put the Golden Suns back up 74-73 and they never looked back, scoring the last six points to take the game 82-75.
 
TECH TIDBITS
The Golden Suns enter play against Henderson State with a 6-0 overall record and a 5-0 mark in the GAC. As a team, the Golden Suns are 84.5 ppg and rank second in the GAC. On the defensive end of the court, the Golden Suns sport the second-best scoring defense in the league, giving up an average of 65.93 ppg. In terms of field goal percentage and field goal percentage defense, the Golden Suns are the best in the conference as they are shooting at an overall clip of .474 (193-of-407) and are limiting opponents to a .318 mark (138-of-434). 

Individually, the Golden Suns have four players averaging double figures in scoring. Sophomore Kaley Shipman leads the way at 16.7 ppg. Behind her is newcomer Ashlei Lopez at 14.7 ppg. Senior Jayana Sanders is third on the team at 12.6 ppg, red-shirt freshman Jalei Oglesby is fourth with 12.6 and junior newcomer Nikki Metcalfe rounds out double-figure scoring for the Golden Suns at 10.4 ppg. 

The Golden Suns are coached by Dave Wilbers, who is in his 14th season on the sidelines at Tech. A newly-minted member of the 300-career win club, Wilbers has a career record of 304-93. Overall in his time at Tech, Wilbers has kept the Golden Suns as perennial contenders in the GAC, the region and the nation, winning 20 or more games nine times, capturing six conference regular championships, five conference tournament championships and advancing to eight NCAA Regional Tournaments. 
 
SCOUTING THE REDDIES
Henderson State enters their game against the Golden Suns 1-3 overall and 1-3 in the GAC. Their win came in their first game in GAC competition against Southern Arkansas, 93-84 on January 7 in Arkadelphia. 
  
In their last outing, the Reddies fell to the Lady Muleriders of Southern Arkansas 69-53. Sonni Martin led Henderson State with 15 points. Tamia Templeton and Maci Mains followed closely behind with 12 and 11 points repectively. The Lady Muleriders established a lead early on and out-scored the Reddies every quarter. 
    
Statistically, the Reddies are averaging 78.2 ppg on offense to rank fifth in the GAC and are giving up an average of 86.40 ppg to rank last in the GAC. In terms of field goal percentages, HSU is shooting at .408 clip overall (145-of-355) to rank sixth and are allowing opponents to shoot at a mark of .403 (157-of-390) to rank fifth. 

Individually, the Reddies have four players scoring in double figures and are led by Ashley Farrar with 18.0 ppg. Their other leading scorers are Maci Mains with 14.0 ppg, Tamia Templeton with 10.4 ppg and Karrington Whaley with 10.3 ppg.

The Reddies are coached by Jill Thomas, who is in her eighth season at HSU. In her time as a head coach at HSU, Collins has amassed a 106-99 record. After an 8-20 record i her fourth season, Thomas engineered a dramatic turnaround in year five and led the Reddies to a 21-9 record and advanced to the semifinlas of GAC Tournament for the first time ever. Overall,  Thomas is in her twelfth season as a head coach and has a career record of 170-147.