MONTICELLO, Ark. – The Arkansas Tech women's basketball team began Great American Conference play on Thursday night and got off to a good start with a 58-48 win on the road at Arkansas-Monticello.
In their conference opener, the Golden Suns controlled a majority of the game as they only trailed for about 20 seconds early in the first quarter. That lone deficit came at the 8:59 mark as UAM scored the game's first points. On the ensuing trip down the floor, the Golden Suns matched that bucket with one of their own on a layup by
Dana Thompson.
That score would hold for the next two minutes of game time until
Pacious McDaniel made a layup at the 6:33 mark to put the Golden Suns in the lead. It would be the only time the lead would change hands on Thursday night as the Golden Suns would not relinquish that lead.
By the end of the first quarter, the Golden Suns carried a five-point lead, 13-8.
Action in the second quarter was muddled due to relatively stagnant offensive production for both teams. In that quarter alone, the Golden Suns and Cotton Blossoms combined to shoot just 3-of-25 (.120) overall from the floor with neither team connecting from long range on nine attempts.
Despite the offensive struggles endured in the second quarter, the lead built up in the first quarter for the Golden Suns allowed them to keep in front and head to the locker room with a six-point lead, 21-15.
The third quarter was markedly better for the Golden Suns offensively as they opened the period on a 7-0 run to push their lead out to double digits by the 8:25 mark. From there, the Golden Suns would remain in front comfortably and carried an 11-point lead into the fourth quarter, 39-28.
Early in the fourth quarter, that lead swelled to its apex of 15 points thanks to points in the paint from
Jaki Rollins and McDaniel. Over the next about two and a half minutes of game time, however, the Cotton Blossoms fought back and ripped off an 11-0 run during that time to pull within four points, 43-39.
A painted jumper by McDaniel at the 6:14 mark stopped the Cotton Blossoms' run and regained the footing for the Golden Suns. Tech would go on to weather the UAM push and eventually closed out the victory with a 10-point margin, 58-48.
In terms of individual statistics, the Golden Suns had two players score in double figures and three more add at least eight points. McDaniel was the leading scorer with 14 points and
Alex Hill was next with 13.
Hayleigh Wyrick added nine points off the bench while
Julie Wagner and Thompson each scored eight points.
The Golden Suns will now prepare for their first GAC game at home this season as they play host to Ouachita Baptist on Saturday afternoon. Tip-off is scheduled for 1 p.m. from Tucker Coliseum.
