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SEARCY – The Harding women's basketball team takes on North Alabama in the first round of the Gulf South Conference Tournament on Thursday at 7:30 p.m., in Southaven, Miss., at the DeSoto County Civic Center. It's the fifth straight year the Lady Bisons have made an appearance in the GSC Tournament.
ON THE WEB: Live Statistics, Live Audio and Live Video will be available on hardingsports.com.
HARDING'S PROBABLE STARTERS
NOTES FOR THE GAME
Harding enters the game with a 17-9 overall record after falling to Henderson State 80-79 in Overtime on Saturday. The Lady Bisons finished the GSC West Division with an 8-6 record.
Harding will be the No. 4 seed from the West Division in the GSC Tournament. At the tournament, the Lady Bisons are 3-4. They have advanced to the second round each of the last two seasons.
Three Lady Bisons received GSC honors this week. Junior guard Sierra Rollins received 1st Team All-GSC honors, Senior guard Bailey St. Clair received 2nd Team All-GSC Honors and freshman forward Kristen Celsor received the GSC West Division Freshman of the Year award.
Rollins has been playing very well of late, averaging a double-double in the last five games, 15.0 points and 11.4 rebounds. In those games, Rollins is shooting 47.3 percent from the field and averaging 4.2 assists per game. During conference play Rollins averages 17.0 points and 10.5 rebounds per game. She leads Harding averaging 14.9 points and 9.3 rebounds per game. At the GSC Tournament the last two years, she has averaged 10.3 points and 7.3 rebounds.
Senior guard Bailey St. Clair averages 12.2 points per game after scoring a season-high 27 points against Henderson State. St. Clair leads the GSC in steals per game with an average of 3.1 a game.
Harding is coached by Tim Kirby, who is in his 6th season as head coach of the Lady Bisons. He has compiled a 104-65 record at Harding.
North Alabama
North Alabama heads into the game with a 21-5 overall record. The Lions were perfect in the GSC East Division going 12-0 to earn the GSC East Division Title and receive the No. 1 seed from the East in the GSC Tourney. It was the first time in school history that the Lions went undefeated in conference play. Their last loss was against Harding on Jan. 5 in Florence, Ala.
North Alabama went 6-4 against GSC West Division teams.
The Lions rank second in the GSC in 3-point field goals made in a game with an average of 6.9.
Both the Lions and the Lady Bisons don't allow their opponents to shoot very well from the field. North Alabama ranks third in the GSC in field goal percentage defense (36.3 percent) and Harding ranks fourth (36.4 percent). In both meetings between the two teams this season, they combined for an average of 110 points.
The Lions are led by Niala Harris who averages 16.0 points and 6.9 rebounds. Sanqueeta Meardith is the other North Alabama player that averages in double-figures per game with 11.4 points.
The Series
Harding leads the series between the two teams 11-6. The Lady Bisons fell at home 50-46 and beat the Lions in Florence, 65-59. It will be the second time the two teams have met in the GSC Tourney. Harding defeated North Alabama 73-66 last season.
