SEARCY – Five Harding players ended in double-figure score as the Lady Bison basketball team defeated Southern Nazarene 78-64 in HU's Great American Conference opener on Saturday. The Lady Bisons improved to 3-2 on the season and 1-0 in the GAC.

Sophomore's Arielle Saunders and Montana Lewis each had a double-double. Saunders led HU with 19 points and 11 rebounds and Lewis had 12 points and 11 rebounds. It was Saunders' seventh career double-double and Lewis' third.

Junior forward Kristen Celsor was in foul trouble for most of the game but still managed to score 16 points. Senior guard Deshelle Isaac-Boyce had 12 points and sophomore guard Shana Holmes had 11.

Harding lead from the opening tip-off as back-to-back 3-pointers put the Lady Bisons up 6-0 in the opening minutes. Harding lead by as much as 15 in the first half and took a 41-32 lead into halftime.

Southern Nazarene battled back in the first five minutes of the second half.  The Crimson Storm went on a 7-2 run and cut the HU lead to three at the 16:45 mark. Harding answered back with a 7-0 run to take a 52-40 lead with 13:45 left in the game. SNU didn't get any closer than seven the rest of the way as HU won their second straight conference opener.

Southern Nazarene (3-4, 0-2 GAC) was led by senior guard Oumoul Thiam who had 26 points, hitting 9-of-19 from the field. Senior's Annie Kassongo and Katie Beebe each had 10 points for the Crimson Storm.

Harding outrebounded Southern Nazarene 38-33. It was the second time this season the Lady Bisons have outrebounded their opponent. HU outrebounded Christian Brothers 49-27 to open the season.

The Harding defense held Southern Nazarene to only three 3-pointers. SNU was 3-of-16 for 18.8 percent in the game.

Harding hit 22-of-27 free throws in the game. It was the most free throws the Lady Bisons have made in a game this season and it was the best percentage (81.5 percent).

The Lady Bisons will hit the road next week for a pair of GAC games as they travel to East Central on Dec. 6 and Southeastern Oklahoma State on Dec. 8.