RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. – The Arkansas Tech women's basketball team opened their 2024-25 season in heartbreaking fashion on Wednesday night as they lost at home in overtime to Arkansas-Fort Smith, 88-85.
The Golden Suns got out to a good start offensively and scored the game's first five points thanks to field goals by a pair of newcomers in
Olivia Jones, a three-pointer, and
Andie Zylak on a jumper. UAFS later tied the score at 11-all at the 5:26 mark of the first quarter and then took the lead, 13-11 at the 4:44 mark.
The lead would change hands three times in relative quick fashion as the game went back-and-forth. After the Lions grabbed a one-point lead, 19-18, at the 1:52 mark, the Golden Suns would go on to close out the quarter on a 4-0 run to lead 22-19.
Second quarter action was close early, but the Golden Suns grabbed control about midway through. After tying the score at 26-all on a jumper by
Julie Wagner at the 5:33 mark, the Golden Suns would go on to out-score UAFS 14-2 the rest of the quarter, giving Tech a 12-point lead at the break, 40-28.
The Lions came out roaring at the start of the third quarter and by the 6:10 mark had cut Tech's lead down to a single point, 42-41. The Golden Suns were able to settle in and did not lose their lead. The Lions were able to later tie the score at 47-all by the 4:38 mark, but again, the Golden Suns were able to stay in the lead and swelled their lead out to nine points in the quarter before UAFS scored a layup in the waning seconds of the period to make it a seven-point game heading into the fourth quarter.
Early in the fourth quarter, the Golden Suns pushed their lead back out to double-digits, but by the 4:49 mark, UAFS had fought all the back and tied the score at 69-all. At the 2:40 mark, UAFS took their first lead of the second half on a three-pointer that broke a 72-all tie.
Tech's Jones matched that three on the Golden Suns' ensuing possession to tie the score again. Each team would score another basket to send the game into overtime, tied at 77-all.
By the 2:12 mark of overtime, the Golden Suns had grabbed a six-point lead, 85-79, but the Lions hit a three-pointer on the next trip down the court to cut the lead in half and shift the momentum to UAFS. The Lions would then go on to score the next six points on a pair of free throws and a pair of painted jumpers to complete their comeback, 88-85.
The Golden Suns had five players score in double figures and were led by Jones' 12 points. Wagner and
Hayleigh Wyrick were next with 11 points.
Jaki Rollins and
AbbiGrace Cunningham rounded out double-figure scoring with 10 points apiece.
The Golden Suns will now look to bounce back in their next game this coming Saturday afternoon. In that game, they will take on Champion Christian. Tip-off is scheduled for 1 p.m. and the game will played at Russellville High School due to a scheduling conflict in Tucker Coliseum.
