LITTLE ROCK — GAC MEN
NW OKLAHOMA STATE 80, HARDING 61
ALVA, Okla. - Northwestern Oklahoma State shot 65 percent in the first half to build a 17-point lead and coasted to a victory that ended Harding’s school record 10-game winning streak.
The Bisons (17-4, 10-3 Great American Conference), ranked No. 18 in NCAA Division II, had not lost since Dec. 17 and had not lost a GAC game since Dec. 8.
But Northwestern Oklahoma State (10-9, 8-5) made 17 of 26 shots in the first half to take a 45-28 lead at halftime.
Harding got 12 points from Andraz Kavas, 11 from Jacob Gibson and 10 from Bradley Spencer.
Daryl Glover and Jonathan Freemyer each scored 19 points for the Rangers, while Bruce Wright had 13 and Marshall Bell and Taries Taylor each had 11. Northwestern Oklahoma State finished at 58.7 percent shooting from the field.
ARKANSAS TECH 60, SW OKLAHOMA STATE 57
WEATHERFORD, Okla. - Jay Murphy came off the bench to lead Arkansas Tech with 15 points, while Willie Kirkland and Jared Williamson each had 14 to help the Wonder Boys hold off a late Southwestern Oklahoma State rally.
The Wonder Boys (11-8, 8-5) led 59-50 with 1:08 left, but Dominick Cornelius’ three-pointer capped a 7-1 run. However, the Bulldogs (8-12, 7-7) couldn’t get any closer.
Arkansas Tech held a 40-29 rebounding advantage.
SOUTHERN ARKANSAS 61, EAST CENTRAL (OKLA.) 51
MAGNOLIA - Daviel Clements made 3 three-pointers and finished with 18 points and Nigel Jones added 10 as Southern Arkansas earned a home victory at the W.T. Watson Athletic Conference.
Southern Arkansas (9-11, 5-9) was held to 31.7 percent shooting, but the Muleriders held East Central (7-13, 4-10) to 29.8 percent and held a 50-40 rebounding advantage.
Southern Arkansas scored the game’s first nine points and started the game on a 15-1 run. The Muleriders led 30-20 at halftime.
East Central took a 37-35 lead six minutes into the second half, but Southern Arkansas went on an 8-0 run and never trailed again.
SOUTHERN NAZARENE 65, HENDERSON STATE 49
ARKADELPHIA - Southern Nazarene made 12 three-pointers and Henderson State was held to 37.7 percent shooting in losing for the fourth time in five games.
The Reddies (10-10, 5-9) were held to 8-of-25 shooting in the first half but trailed only 27-21 at halftime. But they never regained the lead in the second half as Southern Nazarene (11-9, 7-7) built its lead to 61-42 with 4:40 left.
Andrew Ensley led Henderson State with 13 points and Melvin Haynes added 11.
Quan Conner made four three-pointers and finished with 26 points for Southern Nazarene. Garrett Butler made five three-pointers and had 17 points, while Trey Mohair finished with 10 points with 3 three-pointers. Southern Nazarene made 12 of 32 three-pointers as a team.
THURSDAY’S GAMES
Ark. Tech 60, SW Oklahoma State 57 NW Oklahoma State 80, Harding 61 S. Nazarene 65, Henderson State 49 S. Arkansas 61, E. Central (Okla.) 51 Ark.-Mont. 74, SE Okla. State 67, OT
SATURDAY’S GAMES All times Central
Ark. Tech at NW Okla. State, 4 p.m.
Harding at SW Okla. State, 4 p.m.
S. Nazarene at Ouachita Bapt., 4 p.m.
SE Okla. State at S. Arkansas, 4 p.m.
E. Cent. (Okla.) at Ark.-Mont., 4 p.m.
GAC WOMEN
SOUTHERN NAZARENE 65, HENDERSON STATE 53
ARKADELPHIA - Destiny Smith scored a career-high 28 points for Henderson State, which lost its third consecutive game Thursday.
Krystal Beachum added 14 points for Henderson State (10-10, 5-9), which was out rebounded 46-46 by Southern Nazarene (11-9, 8-6). Oumoul Thiam led the Crimson Storm with 24 points, while Aminata Fall added 16 points and 24 rebounds.
Southern Nazarene used a 17-0 run over an eight-minute span in the first half to take a 29-10 lead with 4:41 remaining in the half. Henderson State missed nine shots and committed seven turnovers during the run. Smith then sparked a 12-3 Henderson State run, scoring the next 10 points, to cut the deficit to 32-22 at halftime.
The Crimson Storm built their lead back to 14 in the second half, but the Reddies pulled to within four as Smith and Beachum scored 20 combined points over 11 minutes to cut the lead to 50-46 with 5:21 left in the game. Southern Nazarene pulled away by scoring nine consecutive points, including a three-pointer and two free throws by Krisyin Milster.
EAST CENTRAL (OKLA.) 74, SOUTHERN ARKANSAS 59
MAGNOLIA - Katherine McBride led Southern Arkansas with 16 points in a loss at the W.T. Watson Athletic Center.
East Central (16-4, 11-3) shot nearly 50 percent from the field in the first half and led 40-23 at halftime. The lead grew to 20 points before Southern Arkansas (0-19, 0-14) used a 16-6 run to cut it to 46-36. The Lady Tigers answered the run with a three-pointer and remained comfortably ahead for the rest of the game.
Stevi Cooper and Lauren Jay added 10 points each for Southern Arkansas.
ARKANSAS TECH 82, SW OKLAHOMA STATE 76
WEATHERFORD, Okla. - Senior guard Rosie Silva scored a game-high 26 points with 12 rebounds, 7 steals and 6 assists to lead Arkansas Tech past Southwestern Oklahoma State.
The teams traded leads nine times, with the Golden Suns (13-6, 10-3) coming back twice from deficits of more than 10 points to take leads.
Southwestern Oklahoma State (15-5, 10-4) led 41-31 with 2:43 remaining in the first half, but Arkansas Tech cut the lead slightly and trailed 48-40 at halftime. Two baskets at the start of the second half gave Southwestern Oklahoma a 53-40 lead, but the Golden Suns used an 11-0 run to cut the lead to 53-51 with 14:53 remaining. The teams traded the lead four times, and Southwestern Oklahoma held a 76-65 lead with 5:15 remaining. The Golden Suns finished the game on a 17-0 run for the final margin.
Caitlin Spurgeon was 12 of 12 from the free-throw line to score 20 points for Arkansas Tech. Tikeyiah Johnson added 11 points off the bench and Jessica Weatherford scored 10.
HARDING 74, NW OKLAHOMA STATE 55
ALVA, Okla. - Harding shot 51.7 percent (30 of 58) from the field and hit six three-pointers to earn a victory.
Sophomore guard Montana Lewis led the Lady Bisons (13-6, 9-4) with 15 points. Sophomore forward Arielle Saunders made 7 of 10 shots from the field to finish with 14 points, forward Kristen Celsor had 12 and Deshelle Isaac-Boyce added 10. Harding also tied a school record with 11 blocked shots.
Leading 21-19 with 8:21 left in the first half, Harding went on an 18-0 run that extended early into the second half, capped by a Celsor three-pointers with 18:38 left in the game. Harding led by 30 points in the second half.
Dierra Gilmore led Northwestern Oklahoma State (5-14, 4-12) with 21 points and Titania Simmons added 14.
THURSDAY’S GAMES
Ark. Tech 82, SW Oklahoma State 76 Harding 74, NW Oklahoma State 55 S. Nazarene 65, Henderson State 53 E. Central (Okla.) 74, S. Arkansas 59 SE Okla. State 79, Ark.-Monticello 54
SATURDAY’S GAMES All times Central
Ark. Tech at NW Okla. State, 2 p.m.
Harding at SW Okla. State, 2 p.m.
S. Nazarene at Ouachita Bapt., 2 p.m.
SE Okla. State at S. Arkansas, 2 p.m.
E. Cent. (Okla.) at Ark.-Mont., 2 p.m.
HEARTLAND WOMEN
ST. MARY’S 64, ARKANSAS-FORT SMITH 54
SAN ANTONIO - Angi Ramey scored 14 points and Katie BenAmor added 13, but it wasn’t enough as Arkansas-Fort Smith was swept in its season series with St. Mary’s.
The Lady Rattlers (16-5, 8-1 Heartland Conference) remained atop the conference standings with Texas-Permian Basin, while the Lady Lions (6-14, 2-5) remained in a tight battle for fourth place with Texas A&M International and Newman.
Jackie Woods and Lia Kioa led St. Mary’s with 16 points each, while Morgan Pullins added 10. St. Mary’s shot 41 percent (23 of 56) from the field and 77 percent (10 of 13) from the free-throw line.
Arkansas-Fort Smith shot 38 percent (19 of 50) from the field and 55 percent (11 of 20) from the free-throw line.
Sports, Pages 25 on 02/08/2013