RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. - In their first game back inside Tucker Coliseum in 17 days, the Arkansas Tech Women's Basketball team picks up a 94-84 win over Southern Arkansas in a makeup game due to COVID-19 protocols that was originally scheduled to play back in December. The Golden Suns move to 8-6 overall with an even 5-5 record in GAC play.
The Golden Suns had two players scoring at least 20 points and were led by senior guard
Jayana Sanders with 23 going 11-14 from the floor. Sanders also picked up a season-high six steals against the Muleriders. Following Sanders was junior guard
Ashlei Lopez with 22 points. Lopez also set a new season-high in steals with five in the contest. Closing out the leading scorers for Arkansas Tech was
Tori Lasker with 12 points and six assists, with
Kaley Shipman behind her with 11 points, eight boards and a season-high six assists.
Both teams opened the game with quick scoring leading to a 4-4 game early on. A quick 8-2 run by the Muleriders put them ahead of the Golden Suns 12-6. Arkansas Tech fought their way back into the first quarter thanks to strong inside play from Sanders scoring six of the next ten points, which helped cut the deficit to one as Southern Arkansas still led 15-14 with 3:32 left in the opening quarter.
The Muleriders quickly fired away a pair of threes to grab six points, but not without two back-to-back layups from freshman forward
Julie Wagner to keep Southern Arkansas in check from taking a significant lead. The Golden Suns got the final say in the quarter though as
Nikki Metcalfe tipped the ball back in at the buzzer to end the first quarter with a narrow 21-20 lead for the Muleriders.
Arkansas Tech got right to work to begin the second quarter opening with an 11-4 run to take a 31-25 lead over Southern Arkansas. The Muleriders tried to chip into the lead, but the Golden Suns kept making baskets to hold a 41-37 lead over with just over a minute and half left in the first half. Southern Arkansas would get the final bucket of the first half with a three point basket as Arkansas Tech headed into the break with a 41-40 lead.
A 9-0 run opened the second half for Southern Arkansas as they took back the lead over Arkasnas Tech 49-41. Once again Sanders came up big for the Golden Suns as she continued to shoot the ball well from the floor and get inside to score.
The Muleriders held a 56-49 lead following a made free throw, but a layup from Shipman and a two-point jumper from freshman
Alex Hill pulled the game back to within three. Arkansas Tech closed the third quarter strong with a 6-0 run sparked by an inside basket from Sanders following her steal.
Anna Myers and Lopez each scored a basket before the third quarter ended leaving the Golden Suns with a 65-62 lead heading into the final quarter.
Two quick steals led to two quick buckets for Arkansas Tech to begin the fourth quarter. Arkansas Tech turned on the scoring engine in the final quarter as they would outscore the Muleriders 29-22 thanks to the solid fourth quarter scoring effort from Shipman and Lopez as they walked out with the 94-84 win.
The Golden Suns next matchup will be Thursday night in Tucker Coliseum against the top overall team in the GAC and #17 in the nation Southwestern Oklahoma. Tip-off is set for 5:30 p.m. Thursday night.
