SEARCY – The Harding women's basketball team looks for their second Gulf South Conference win Saturday, traveling to Monticello, Ark., to take on Arkansas-Monticello at 2 p.m. The Lady Bisons head into the game with an 8-8 overall record and a 1-3 GSC West Division record.
COACHES: Harding is coached by Tim Kirby, who enters his fifth season at the helm of the Lady Bisons. Kirby has a 77-53 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-Monticello is coached by Chris Ratcliff, who enters his fourth year as the head coach of the Cotton Blossoms. Ratcliff has compiled a 44-43 record at Arkansas-Monticello.
THE LADY BISONS: Harding is coming off a 58-65 loss to Christian Brothers this past Thursday night. The Lady Bisons shot 36.4 percent from the field in the game. Harding made 7-of-15 from behind the three-point line. Christian Brothers overcame a 14 point deficit and didn't look back midway through the second half.
The Lady Bisons are averaging 13.1 points off second chance opportunities. Harding averages 13.7 offensive rebounds a game. Bailey St. Clair leads the Lady Bisons in rebounds, averaging 5.8 a game. Three of her almost six rebounds a game, are offensive rebounds, ranking third in the GSC.
The Harding bench has really contributed this season, averaging 27.4 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 are 1 and 2 on the team in field goal percentage. Rollins leads the team, shooting 50.7 from the field.
The Lady Bisons are averaging 12.7 steals per game, ranking them second in the GSC and 20th in the NCAA. St. Clair leads the GSC in steals per game with an average of 3.1.
St. Clair leads the Lady Bisons, averaging 13.4 points per game which ranks her tenth in the GSC. She also averages 5.8 rebounds per game. Senior Stacey Owens isn't far behind St. Clair, averaging 12.6 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 COTTON BLOSSOMS: Arkansas-Monticello (7-9, 1-3 GSC) also looks to snap a three-game losing streak. The Cotton Blossoms have lost each of their last two games by a margin of five points, falling to Ouachita Baptist 61-66 and Henderson State 54-59.
The Cotton Blossoms return six players from last years squad, three of which were starters. Arkansas-Monticello finished second in the GSC West Division with a 10-4 record. They are picked to finish third in the preseason GSC Coaches poll.
Arkansas-Monticello is lead by Nykita Gordon who averages 12.4 points per game and 3.8 rebounds per game. Monica Perkins-Miller leads the Cotton Blossoms on the boards, averaging 7.8 rebounds a game.
SERIES: Arkansas-Monticello leads the series 29-19. The Lady Bisons are 8-16 in Monticello.
