DURANT, Okla. - Following their 79-71 win on the road over East Central on Thursday evening, the Arkansas Tech Women's Basketball team comes up just shy of the win to split their short Oklahoma road trip 1-1. Following the loss, the Golden Suns sit at 10-8 overall with a 7-7 record in Great American Conference play.

Tech managed to find some solid scoring as three players hit double figures. Leading the way was the guard duo of Kaley Shipman and Jayna Sanders each putting up 15 points on the day. Shipman contributed one rebound, two assists, a steal and went 5-5 from the charity stripe to fill up the score sheet. Sanders grabbed three boards, dished out four assists, came up with a steal and shot 75% (3-for-4) from long range against the matchup with Southeastern. Junior forward Nikki Metcalfe was the final player in double figures in scoring for the Golden Suns as she put up her second double-double of the season with 14 points and 14 rebounds. The 14 rebounds pulled down for Tech set a new season high for the junior forward. Metcalfe also blocked two shots in the game.

During the first quarter of play there were three ties and two lead changes as the Savage Storm went on to outscore the Golden Suns in the first quarter 12-8. Both sides had lots of turnovers and missed shots leading to a low scoring first quarter. The second quarter started with a 7-2 run by Southeastern to hold a 19-12 lead over Tech. Southeastern continued to mount pressure on Tech during the first half of play, but Metcalfe would try and spark the Golden Suns hitting a layup inside. Following the layup from Metcalfe, Shipman provided the offensive boost Arkansas Tech needed hitting a pair of free throws from the line and nailing two three point baskets to make it 22-28 as Southeastern still led. The Savage Storm would get one more layup to fall before the halftime buzzer making it a 30-22 lead over the Golden Suns heading into the break.

Arkansas Tech came out of the break with some offensive energy as Sanders sunk her first of three triples in the contest. Lasker followed with a good two point jump shot to cut the Savage Storm lead down to four making it 27-31. A pair of free throws and a layup put Southeastern back up by eight, until Sanders hit another three ball to bring it down to a five point deficit for Tech. Following a foul from behind the three point line from the Savage Storm, Shipman made the most of her opportunity at the line as she went 3-for-3 to make it a 35-39 deficit. Three consecutive layups from Southeastern's Chandler Kemp would put them up by 10 over Tech with 2:20 left in the third quarter of play. The Golden Suns would close the third strong though holding the Savage Storm scoreless on a 7-0 run that included a three from freshman guard ClaraGrace Prater and two layups from Metcalfe to make it 42-45 heading into the final quarter of play.

Southeastern opened the fourth quarter with four quick buckets, but Arkansas Tech would find their own groove with a three point basket from Lasker, a layup from Alex Hill and another three from Sanders down just 50-55. After a pair of good free throws for Tech, Hill came up with a steal that led to a foul and another successful 2-of-2 trip to the line to make it just a two point deficit at 55-57 with 2:30 left to play. Both sides matched each other shot for shot down the stretch as Southeastern kept holding on by two. The next possession for Tech had Sanders miss a two point jumper which led to the rebound for Southeastern and a foul from Tech to send them to the line. The free throw line is where the Savage Storm would hold on and secure their 68-63 win.

The Golden Suns return to Tucker Coliseum for their next matchup against Harding on Thursday, February 3. Tip-off is set for 5:30 p.m. Thursday night.