RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. - The Arkansas Tech women's basketball team picked up a strong win over Ouachita Baptist in Tucker on Saturday afternoon with a wire-to-wire comeback to seal the deal. Following their win, the Golden Suns are 9-5 overall with a 7-3 record among Great American Conference opponents.

In the opening quarter of action, both sides struggled to get a consistent rhythm of shots to fall from field goal range. The Tigers shot 43.7%(7-of-16) in the first, while Arkansas Tech shot 25.0% (5-of-20).

The difference between both sides in the opening quarter was the ability to knock down freebies at the line. The Golden Suns shot a solid 75% (6-of-8) from the line as a team in the first quarter, while Ouachita missed every free throw attempt they had. 

At the end of the first quarter, Ouachita barely held onto a slim 17-16 lead. 

The second quarter of play was the Golden Suns highest efficiency quarter of the afternoon shooting a stellar 50.0% (7-of-14) as a team in the second. The Golden Suns defense came in strong for the second quarter as well holding the Tiger offense to just single-digits in scoring for the quarter at eight. 

Heading into the halftime break, the Golden Suns held a 31-25 lead over Ouachita Baptist. 

Coming out of halftime and into the second half of action, the Tigers kicked their offense into high-gear beginning the third quarter on a 14-1 run to take an early 39-33 lead over the Golden Suns. A pair of made free-throws and a three-point basket would extend their lead up to double-digits ahead 44-34 with 4:22 left in the third quarter of play.

Two strong layups underneath the basket by Claudia Bridges off assists by Jalei Oglesby and a made free throw by Alex Hill would put the game back within reach for the Golden Suns down just 39-46. Another layup by Bridges as well as a pair of made free throws at the line by ClaraGrace Prater cut the Tiger lead down to just four at 44-48 with just over a minute left to play in the third quarter. 

The Tigers would end the scoring effort for the quarter with the last points coming from the line as they held onto a 50-44 lead over Arkansas Tech heading into the fourth and final quarter of action. 

Julie Wagner began the fourth quarter scoring effort for Arkansas Tech off a dish from Kaley Shipman down low to find Wagner open for the easy layup in the paint. Two back-to-back layups and a pair of made shots at the line for Ouachita pushed their lead back out to double-digits at 56-46 with 6:54 left to play in the game. 

From here, the Golden Suns began their surge to force their way back into the game. Two made shots at the charity stripe by Shipman and a layup inside by Oglesby following an offensive board by Bridges began the comeback effort. 

Hill would be fouled on a drive to the rack, but would finish strong through contact to get the bucket and covert the and-one opportunity to cut the Tiger lead down to seven points at 53-60 with 4:37 remaining in the game. 

Following a turnover on offense for Ouachita, Shipman pulled up from long-range and knocked down the clutch shot from beyond-the-arc to make it just a four-point game at 56-60. Following a steal by Olgesby, Hill would be fouled and sent to the line getting 1-of-2 shots to fall making it just a one possession game with 3:15 left to play as the Golden Suns trailed 57-60.

The Tigers would get an opportunity to try and extend their lead at the free throw line, but would miss both attempts giving the Golden Suns an opportunity to dish the ball to Shipman on offense who connected on a jumpshot in the paint following the offense board by Wagner to make it a one-point game with Golden Suns down just 59-60.

The Tigers would once again squander the chance to try and extend their lead, giving the Golden Suns another opportunity on offense to try and take the lead in the game for the first time since early in the third quarter. The Golden Suns would get that lead at the free throw line from Shipman as she knocked down both her attempts to grab the 61-60 lead over the Tigers with just 34 seconds remaining in this down to the wire matchup.

Hill made the play of the game on defense for the Golden Suns with an incredible and clutch steal, which forced the Tigers to foul her and send her to the line. Hill would convert both free throws giving the Golden Suns a three-point lead at 63-60 with just under ten seconds to play.

The Tigers would go 2-for-4 on their next two trips at the line, while Oglesby would go 1-for-2 but the game would be over and the Golden Suns would emerge with the big time 64-62 fourth quarter comeback win.

Leading the Golden Suns against the Tigers was Oglesby with her second-straight double-double with 19 points and 14 boards. Oglesby had yet another solid efficiency night hitting 8-of-17 shots from field goal range, while also adding four assists and two steals. Following Oglesby was Shipman with 14 points and two boards, while Bridges and Hill both dropped ten points in the game against Ouachita. Hill finished the game with a team-high four steals. 

The Golden Suns will return to action on Monday night as they host conference rival Harding. The game against the Bisons is set for a 5:30 p.m. tip-off in Tucker Coliseum on Monday evening.
 

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