SEARCY – The Harding women's basketball team looks for their second straight win against #13 ranked Arkansas Tech Saturday in Gulf South Conference action. Tip-off is scheduled for 5:30 p.m., in the Rhodes Field House in Searcy, Ark. The Lady Bisons head into the game with an 8-6 overall record and 1-1 record in the GSC West Division.
COACHES: Harding is coached by Tim Kirby, who enters his fifth season at the helm of the Lady Bisons. Kirby has a 77-51 career record. Kirby took over the Lady Bison program before the 2005-06 season after serving 12 seasons as the Harding's men's basketball assistant.
Arkansas Tech is coached by Dave Wilbers, who enters his third season as head coach of the Golden Suns. Wilbers has compiled a 45-15 record at Arkansas Tech.
THE LADY BISONS: Harding is coming off a disappointing loss to Southern Arkansas Thursday night in GSC action. Raven Jones hit 1-of-2 free throws with one second left to give Southern Arkansas a 59-58 win. Harding shot 32.8 percent from the field, only making 19 shots.
The Harding bench has really contributed this season, averaging 28.7 points per game for the Lady Bisons. Sophomores Sierra Rollins and Lindsey Root have come off the bench this season and giving the Lady Bisons a boost. Both players are averaging over five points per game and over three rebounds per game. Rollins and Root lead the team in shooting percentage, both averaging over 50 percent from the field.
The Lady Bisons are averaging 12.9 steals per game, ranking them second in the GSC and 23rd in the NCAA. Junior guard Bailey St. Clair leads the GSC in steals per game with an average of 3.2.
St. Clair leads the Lady Bisons, averaging 13.4 points per game which ranks her ninth in the GSC. She also averages 6.1 rebounds per game. Senior Stacey Owens isn't far behind St. Clair, averaging 12.4 points per game.
Harding returns five players from the 2008-09 season. The Lady Bisons have eight new faces this year, four of them are transfers. Six of the Harding newcomers have already made their debut for the Lady Bisons.
THE GOLDEN SUNS: Arkansas Tech is perfect on the season with a 15-0 record. It is the first time in school history the Golden Suns have started with a 15-0 record. The Golden Suns have defeated Southern Arkansas and Henderson State in the past week for a 2-0 mark in the GSC. Saturday's matchup will be the first GSC road game this season for the Golden Suns. Arkansas Tech is one of eight teams still undefeated in NCAA Division II. Delta State is the only other GSC member still undefeated.
The Golden Suns are putting up an average of 85 points per game, ranking third in NCAA Division II and are beating their opponents by an average of 26.4 points per game, also ranking third in NCAA Division II. Arkansas Tech is shooting 49.3 percent from the field, ranking sixth in NCAA Division II.
The Golden Suns return three players from last years squad and only one starter. Arkansas Tech was picked to finish second in the GSC West Division in the GSC preseason coaches poll.
Arkansas Tech is led by Jenny Vining who is averaging 21 points per game and leading the team in assists per game with an average of 4.6. Vining has made 63-of-141 shots from behind the three-point line for a 44.7 percentage. Natalia Santos is the other player that averages double-figure scoring, averaging 15.1 points per game and leads the team in rebounds, averaging 7.1 a game.
SERIES: Arkansas Tech leads the series 45-2. Harding won the last meeting between the two teams, 80-48. It was the first win against the Golden Suns since the 1992-93 season.
