Box Score
HOUSTON – The Harding Lady Bisons earned their first ever victory over a NCAA Division I team on Thursday night with a 74-64 win over Houston Baptist. The Lady Bisons trailed 33-32 at halftime, but junior Catherine McMenamy scored 11 of her team-leading 15 points in the second half to help Harding (7-2) to its fourth consecutive victory.
Freshman Lakyn Garrison, the Lady Bisons' scoring leader, added 13 points, and sophomore Kelsea Lyda scored 11 points.
Garrison scored a layup with 7:50 remaining in the second half to give Harding a 57-55 lead. Her layup started an 8-0 run capped by a jumper by sophomore Kaitlin May as the Lady Bisons extended their lead to 63-55 with six minutes left, and the Huskies could not answer.
Until the last minutes, Harding and Houston Baptist (5-4) played a tight game as the lead changed nine times and was tied on 10 occasions. Neither team led by more than 10 until Harding took a 71-60 lead with 1:52 remaining.
The Lady Bisons, who made only 13-of-33 shots in the first half, reversed their fortunes in the second half. Harding shot 16-for-30 (53.3 percent) from the floor while Houston Baptist made just 13-of-33 (39.4 percent).
Kathy Hill led Houston Baptist with 14 points, and Jasmine Moore added 13 points.
The Lady Bisons will host North Alabama, a Gulf South Conference member, on Dec. 15 at 5:30 p.m. for a non-conference contest.
Harding has played three other Division I teams: Arkansas-Little Rock in 2007, Arkansas State in 1993, and Southwest Missouri State (now Missouri State) in 1984.
