Second Half Comeback Falls Short for Lady Reddies Basketball Team

Courtesy HSU Athletics Department

ARKADELPHIA, Ark. – Trailing for much of the second half, the Henderson State women’s basketball team battled back from their deficit and had an opportunity to complete a thrilling comeback effort as Krystal Beachum took the potential game-winning shot as time expired. Unfortunately, Beachum’s shot was blocked as Henderson suffered a 57-56 loss to the hands of Harding on Thursday night in the Duke Wells Center.

Early on, the game was closely contested as the lead changed hands five times in addition to three tied scores through the first 17 minutes of action. The final lead change of the first half came immediately following the last media timeout of the half as Harding’s Arielle Saunders made good on both of her free throw attempts to push the Lady Bisons (8-4, 4-3 GAC) ahead by a point, 22-21. From there, the Lady Bisons closed out the half on a 9-0 run to take a 10-point led into the break.

Harding would build their lead to as large as 13 points early in the second half before the Lady Reddies (8-4, 3-3 GAC) began to chip away at the double-digit deficit. With less than 10 minutes remaining in the second half, the Lady Reddies comeback was almost complete as they were able to tie the game up on a couple of occasions. Each time the Lady Reddies would tie the game, however, the Lady Bisons would immediately answer with a basket.

Trailing by five points with 2:48 remaining in the game, HSU’s Krystal Beachum went on a personal tear as she engineered a 6-0 run to give the Lady Reddies their first lead of the second half with just 22 seconds remaining in the game. On Harding’s ensuing possession, Destiny Smith was whistled for a foul to send Saunders to the line with just 14 seconds remaining. Saunders, who was 8-of-8 from the charity stripe to that point, made it a perfect 10-for-10 as she buried both attempts to give the Lady Bisons a 57-56 lead.

Able to take the game’s final shot, the Lady Reddies got the ball across the timeline and then Interim Head Coach Kaci Bailey called a timeout to draw up one final play. The call was to get Beachum, who already had a game-high 27 points, the final look. Beachum was able to get the shot off, but it was quickly blocked by Deshelle Isaac-Boyce as time expired.

Beachum’s 27-point performance is her third game in the last five in which she has scored more than 25 points. Other statistical standout performances came from Destiny Smith and Dulincia Keener. Smith, who is currently ranked fifth in the nation in rebounds per game, pulled down 17 boards against Harding to push her season average to 12.2 rebounds per game. Keener also had a big night on the glass as she pulled down 11 rebounds.

The Lady Reddies will now travel to Russellville, Ark. to take on the Arkansas Tech Golden Suns on Saturday, January 12th. Tip-off for the game is scheduled for 4:00 pm.