Lady Bison Basketball Gives Ouachita Baptist First Conference Loss

Courtesy HU Athletics Department

SEARCY – The Harding women’s basketball team defeated Ouachita Baptist 66-58 in Great American Conference action on Saturday at the Rhodes Field House. It was the Lady Tigers first conference loss this season and it was HU’s sixth straight win. 

The Lady Bisons’ defense held Ouachita Baptist to shooting 31.3 percent from the field. It was the fifth straight game HU has held their opponents to shooting 31 percent. 

Sophomore guard Shana Holmes led HU with 16 points, making 6-of-6 from the free throw line. Sophomore forward Arielle Saunder captured her fourth double-double of the season with 14 points and a season-high 14 rebounds. Senior guard Deshelle Isaac-Boyce came off the bench and tied a season high with 12 points. 

Harding (9-4, 5-2 GAC) trailed in the first 14 minutes of the game but then the tide turned in the Lady Bisons favor. Harding went on a 13-0 run in a two minute span to take the lead and didn’t look back. HU held Ouachita Baptist without a field goal for over 11 minutes, spanning between halves. The Lady Bisons lead 34-27 at halftime. 

Ouachita Baptist (11-2, 6-1 GAC) cut the Harding lead to one with 11:42 left on a Nashia James 3-pointer. The Lady Bisons answered back making 3-of-4 free throws and a layup by Arielle Saunders to lead 50-44 with 10:37 left. OBU didn’t get any closer than eight points the rest of the way as HU led by as much as 13. 

Harding grabbed a season-high 53 rebounds. Three HU players had 10 or more. Besides Saunders’ 14, junior forward Kristen Celsor had 11 and sophomore guard Montana Lewis had 11. It was the first time this season Harding has had three players with 10 or more rebounds in a game.

Ouachita Baptist was led by senior forward Monica Williams who had a double-double with 19 points and 10 rebounds. She was the only Lady Tiger that finished in double figure scoring.

The Harding defense only allowed OBU to shoot 25 percent from the behind the 3-point line (4-of-16). The Lady Bisons also had nine steals and three blocks. 

It was the first time this season Harding didn’t make a 3-pointer in a game. The last time was against Southern Arkansas in 2010. HU won 63-46. 

Harding had a season-high 29 turnovers in the game.

The Lady Bisons will be back in action next Thursday as they travel to Magnolia, Ark., to face Southern Arkansas at 5:30 p.m., in GAC action.