Box Score
SEARCY – The Harding Lady Bisons overcame a slow start to defeat the Arkansas-Monticello Cotton Blossoms 68-60 in the Gulf South Conference opener at Rhodes Field House on Saturday night.
Harding improved to 11-3 overall and 1-0 in Gulf South Conference play while Cotton Blossoms dropped to 7-7 and 0-1. The Lady Bisons also remained a perfect 5-0 at Rhodes this year.
Arkansas-Monticello took a 29-18 lead – its largest lead of the night – when Shakia Sanders scored a layup with 6:46 remaining in the first half. Harding rallied in the final five minutes and finished the half on a 10-2 run, but the Cotton Blossoms held on to a 31-29 halftime lead.
Harding committed 14 turnovers in the first half, and Arkansas-Monticello took advantage, scoring 16 points off the mistakes. The Lady Bisons also made only 8-of-28 shots (28.6 percent) from the floor. Sophomore Stacey Owens, who finished with 11 points, was the only Harding player to score two field goals in the half.
Senior Kinsey Tucker gave Harding the lead for good 46-44 on a jumper with 10:44 left in the game. Senior Kristen Donnell scored a layup to give the Lady Bisons a 61-51 lead with 3:20 remaining.
Sophomore Kelsea Lyda shot 6-of-10 from the field and led the Lady Bisons with 16 points. Donnell led Harding with 11 rebounds. Harding's bench scored 21 points in the second half.
Senior Gemma Gibson led Arkansas-Monticello with 13 points.
The Lady Bisons had averaged 8.4 three-pointers a game this season but shot only 3-of-19 (15.8 percent) from three-point range against Arkansas-Monticello.
Harding will continue GSC play against Delta State on Thursday at 6 p.m. in Cleveland, Miss.
