Box Score

SEARCY – North Alabama rallies late to defeat the Harding women's basketball team 50-46 on Saturday night in non-conference action. The Lady Bison loss snapped a 28 non-conference home winning streak.

With over nine minutes remaining, Harding (6-3) took a five point lead when senior guard Bailey St. Clair hit the Lady Bisons first 3-pointer of the game. It proved to be the last Harding field goal until senior forward Kallie Bartee made a 3-pointer with 30 seconds remaining. As a result, North Alabama (6-3) slowly began to cut in the Harding margin. A layup by junior guard Dana Jackson tied the game 40-40 with five minutes left to play in the game. A Lady Bison turnover lead to a Sequoyah Cliff layup which regained the lead for North Alabama. The Lions didn't look back as they extended their lead by five in the final three minutes of the game.

Senior guard Sanqueeta Meardith hit 12-of-18 free throws and finished with 21 points for North Alabama. Senior forward Niala Harris also was good from the free throw line hitting 8-of-9 and finished with 16 points.

St. Clair led the Lady Bisons finishing with 16 points, five rebounds and seven steals. She made one of Harding's two 3-pointers (2-of-12 from behind the arc) in the game.

Freshman forward Kristen Celsor grabbed a game-high nine rebounds for Harding as the Lady Bisons outrebounded the Lions, 42-38. Harding pulled down 20 offensive rebounds for the second straight game as they had 24 on Friday night against Alabama-Huntsville.

Neither team shot well in the game as Harding shot 25 percent from the field (14-of-57) and North Alabama shot 33 percent (13-of-40).

The Lady Bisons will have two weeks off before heading to Pensacola, Fla., to take part in the West Florida Classic Dec. 30-31. Harding will play District of Columbia on Dec. 30 at 12 p.m., and then host team West Florida on Dec. 31 at 2 p.m.