MONTICELLO, Ark. - The Arkansas Tech women's basketball team drops their first conference game on the road this season in a close game to Arkansas-Monticello by a final score of 60-67. Following the game, the Golden Suns are 8-5 overall with a 6-3 record in Great American Conference play.
The Golden Suns began the night hot, opening the first quarter of action on a 7-0 run led by the pair of
Kaley Shipman and
Jalei Oglesby. Following a layup inside by Oglesby to make it a 9-2 game, the Cotton Blossoms were forced to call a timeout to try and make some adjustments against an early strong showing Golden Suns offense.
Coming out of the timeout, Arkansas-Monticello managed to put together a small run to tie the game at 9-9, but a mid-range jumpers from
Hayleigh Wyrick and Olgesby put Arkansas Tech back in control of the game with a 15-11 lead with just under three minutes left to play in the opening quarter.
UAM would find themselves with the lead after the first quarter however, making the last three shots of the period to hold the 18-15 lead heading into the second quarter.
Opening the second quarter offense for Arkansas Tech was
Julie Wagner collecting a big offensive rebound and putting it back in the hole to give the Golden Suns their first basket of the quarter. Following the basket by Wagner, the Cotton Blossoms went on a 9-0 run to extend their lead out to 27-17 with 3:46 left to play in the first half of action.
Needing some offense to get themselves back in the game before the break, the Golden Suns looked to the free throw line as both Oglesby and Wagner managed to get themselves to the line and make the most of it each going 2-for-2 down the stretch of the second quarter. Another mid-range jumper by Wyrick also added to the scoring towards the end of the quarter as the Golden Suns headed to the locker room down 23-29 at the break.
To start the second half, Oglesby made a pair of jumpers, while
Alex Hill got a layup to fall to make it just a one point game at 30-31 as the Golden Suns strung together a 7-0 run. The Cotton Blossoms would try and get back their double-digit lead, but the Golden Suns continued to get themselves back in the game with timely shots.
A layup underneath the basket by Oglesby and a fastbreak layup from Shipman following a steal by
Sarah Edmondson would once again make it just a one point game. Arkansas-Monticello would respond again however with a three-ball on their next possession, but not before Wyrick would come right back with a huge three-point bucket of her own to keep the game within just a single point at 36-37 with 3:19 left to go in the third quarter.
Both sides continued to go shot-for-shot at each other with neither team able to establish a comfortable lead. Oglesby would make the final basket of the quarter for the Golden Suns, but would head into the fourth and final quarter of play down 41-45.
The Golden Suns outscored the Cotton Blossoms 18-16 in the third quarter.
To begin the final quarter of play, the Golden Suns would finally grab the lead opening on a 6-2 run that was fueled by two tough buckets from Wyrick, including one where she came away with a steal and went coast-to-coast in transition for the finish under the hoop. Arkansas-Monticello would find their own small run to take back the lead, but not before Shipman knocked down a clutch shot from beyond-the-arc to tie the game at 50-50 with 6:37 left to play.
Following Shipman's three-pointer, the Cotton Blossoms went on an 11-0 run to take a 61-50 lead with two and a half minutes to go to try and put the game out of reach. Once again, however, the Golden Suns would not back down and put together a 7-0 run capped off by a three-point basket from Hill to make it just a four point game at 57-61 with 1:10 left to go in the game.
Despite another made three, this time from Wyrick, the Cotton Blossoms would hold on and escape with the 67-60 win.
Leading the game for the Golden Suns was Oglesby with a 22-point and 13 rebound double-double. She also put together a solid game on defense with two blocks and a steal. Following Oglesby was Wyrick with 14 points on 50%(6-of-12) shooting from field goal range. The Pearcy, Ark. native freshman also grabbed four boards, picked up two steals and blocked a season-high two shots. The final double figure scorer for the Golden Suns was Shipman with 10 points, two rebounds, two assists and a steal.
The Golden Suns will be back in action on Saturday as they return home to host Ouachita Baptist. The game against the Tigers is set for a 1 p.m. tip-off in Tucker Coliseum on Saturday afternoon.
