Box Score

MONTEVALLO, Ala. – The Lady Bisons won their fourth straight season opener Friday afternoon at the Montevallo Coca-Cola Tournament. Harding defeated Montevallo with a score of 78-66 and starts off the season, 1-0. The game was also the Lady Falcons' first contest of the regular season and they dropped to 0-1.

Montevallo took an early lead of nine points after five and a half minutes of play but the Lady Bisons answered back and went on a 17-2 run to end the first half, 37-21. Harding never let up on the Lady Falcons and took its largest lead (19 points) just over two minutes into the second half.

The Lady Falcons crept within 10 points with 1:23 left in the game but could not overcome the difference.

Kelsea Lyda came off the bench for the Lady Bisons and scored a game-high and her career-high 23 points. Right behind Lyda was Stacey Owens with 14. Owens shot a perfect 4-for-4 from the field, including two three-pointers, and 4-for-4 from the free-throw line. Freshman Kallie Bartee led Harding with 11 rebounds. Bartee's classmate Lakyn Garrison led the team in assists with 10 and added eight points and four rebounds.  Senior Kinsey Tucker led the team with three steals and also notched 11 points.

Harding, as a team, shot 50 percent from the field and only 56.7 percent from the foul line. Montevallo out-rebounded the Lady Bisons 46-to-33 but shot only 33.3 percent from the field.

The Lady Bisons will take the floor again tomorrow (Nov. 17) for a contest against West Alabama at 1 p.m. in the UM Coca-Cola Tournament.