Great American Conference Tournament

— ARKANSAS TECH 68, ARKANSAS-MONTICELLO 62

BARTLESVILLE, Okla. - Jessica Weatherford scored six of her 23 points in overtime to help top-seed Arkansas Tech survive Arkansas-Monticello’s upset bid Thursday in the Great American Conference Tournament quarterfinals at Bruin Fieldhouse.

Weatherford, a senior first-team All-GAC selection, made a layup with 15 seconds left in the second half to force overtime and finished with 23 points and 16 rebounds for the Golden Suns (21-6), who didn’t pull away from the No. 8 seed Cotton Blossoms (6-21) until the final two minutes of overtime.

Jordan Goforth’s free throws with 2:06 left in overtime pulled UAM to within 63-62, but UAM missed its final three shots while Weatherford made a pair of free throws and a jumper to make it 67-62 with 15 seconds left.

UAM led 56-49 with 2:52 left in the second half but missed its final three shots from the floor and committed two turnovers to allow Arkansas Tech’s comeback.

Roselis Silva, the GAC’s player of the year, added 20 points for Arkansas Tech, which advances to Saturday’s semifinals.

Goforth led UAM with 23 points, while Catherine Puckett added 13 points and nine rebounds.

HARDING 77, SE OKLAHOMA STATE 63

BARTLESVILLE, Okla. - Shana Holmes had 21 points, Kristen Celsor had 17 and Arielle Saunders had 18 rebounds to help No. 3 seed Harding earn a Great American Conference Tournament quarterfinal victory over Southeastern Oklahoma State on Thursday at Bruin Fieldhouse.

The Bisons (18-8) led by as many as nine points in the first half before No. 6 seed Southeastern Oklahoma State (10-16) rallied for a 32-32 halftime tie. The Bulldogs led by as many as 50-43 with 12:48 left after a 12-2 run, but the Bisons’ 15-0 run gave them a 58-50 lead following Deshelle Isaac-Boyd’s layup with 6:38 left.

Saunders added 10 points to to along with her 18 rebounds, while Kayle Wiedower had 13 for Harding, which will play Southwestern Oklahoma State in a Saturday semifinal.

Bailey Welch had 14 points for Southeastern Oklahoma State.

SW OKLAHOMA STATE 69, HENDERSON STATE 59

BARTLESVILLE, Okla. - No. 2 seed Southwestern Oklahoma State shot 46 percent from the floor and forced No. 7 Henderson State into 20 turnovers as it easily won its Great American Conference Tournament quarterfinal game Thursday at Bruin Fieldhouse.

Michelle Fisher had 26 points, Saraya Oyler had 14 and Kylie Boggess had 11 points and 10 rebounds for the Lady Bulldogs (21-5), who made 25 of 54 shots and held the Lady Reddies (13-13) to 33.8 percent shooting.

Destiny Smith had 16 points and 13 rebounds for Henderson State, which made 22 of 65 shots, and Krystal Beachum added 10 points. Henderson State out rebounded Southwestern Oklahoma State 44-38 and had 24 offensive rebounds. But the Reddies made 9 of 30 shots in the first half and trailed 34-24 at halftime, and they were never closer than five points in the second half.

EAST CENT. OKLAHOMA 81, OUACHITA BAPTIST 69

BARTLESVILLE, Okla. - Ouachita Baptist’s Monica Williams scored a Great American Conference Tournament record 39 points, but it wasn’t enough as East Central ended the Lady Tigers’ season Thursday in the quarterfinals in Bartlesville, Okla.

OBU (17-10) trailed by 42-29 at intermission.

East Central (20-8) led by as many as 22 in the game, with Lindsay McCown leading the way with 19 points and Kodi Morrison adding 16.

Williams was 11 of 20 from the field, including 3 of 7 on three-pointers, and 11 of 15 at the free-throw line. The 15 attempts were also a tournament record. Teammate Nashia James finished with 11 points.

At Bartlesville, Okla. (Seeds in parenthesis) All times Central

WOMEN

THURSDAY’S GAMES

GAME 1 (3) Harding 77, (6) SE Oklahoma State 63

GAME 2 (2) SW Oklahoma State 69, (7) Henderson State 59

GAME 3 (1) Arkansas Tech 68, (8) Arkansas-Monticello 62

GAME 4 (4) East Central 81, (5) Ouachita Baptist 69

MEN

TODAY’S GAMES

GAME 1 (3) Arkansas-Monticello vs. (6) SW Oklahoma State, noon

GAME 2 (2) Arkansas Tech vs. (7) Henderson State, 2:30 p.m.

GAME 3 (1) Harding vs. (8) Southern Arkansas, 6 p.m.

GAME 4 (4) SE Oklahoma State vs. (5) Ouachita Baptist, 8:30 p.m.

Sports, Pages 26 on 03/08/2013

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