RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. – The Arkansas Tech women's basketball team continued to roll on Saturday afternoon and ran away from Southeastern Oklahoma in the second half en route to a 96-71 blowout win.
The victory was the sixth-straight for the Golden Suns, all in Great American Conference play, and moved them to 12-2 overall and 8-2 in the GAC. The win, combined with other results from around the league has the Golden Suns in a three-way tie for first place. One of those teams the Golden Suns are tied with is their opponent next Thursday night, Harding.
In the game against Southeastern Oklahoma on Saturday, the Golden Suns fell behind early and trailed for the entirety of the first quarter. Their largest deficit, however, was just six points. The Golden Suns managed to tie the game immediately in the second quarter, but Southeastern did not relinquish the lead.
By the 3:34 mark of the second quarter, the Savage Storm had built their lead out as high as eight points, 41-33. The Golden Suns would roar back and over the remainder of the quarter, out-scored Southeastern, 11-0 to take a 44-41 lead into halftime. Fueling that blazing finish was a personal 9-0 run by
Hayleigh Wyrick as she made three-straight three-pointers.
Logan Young accounted the other two points on the run, hitting a painted jumper with 30 seconds left in the half.
That surge by the Golden Suns to close out the second quarter carried over in a big way in the third quarter as Tech would shoot close to 60% overall from the floor (10-of-17) and were 9-of-9 from the free throw line. That extremely efficient shooting allowed the Golden Suns to out-score Southeastern, 31-16 in the third quarter.
The Golden Suns would not let up in the final quarter and hit five three-pointers to help push their final scoring output at 96. It is the fifth time this season that the Golden Suns have scored at least 90 points in a game.
Four Golden Suns would score in double figures in the game and were led by Young and her 22 points. Perina Lemie had a season-high 20 points to be second . She also added a pair of assists and four steals. Wyrick would end with a season-high 14 points followed by 12 points from AbbiGrace Cunninham.
The Golden Suns will now prepare for that aforementioned showdown with Harding this coming Thursday night. Tip-off for the game is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. from inside Tucker Coliseum.
