BETHANY, Okla. – The Harding women's basketball team fell at Southern Nazarene 66-56 on Thursday in Great American Conference action. The Lady Bisons fall to 12-6 overall and 8-4 in the GAC.

Southern Nazarene (9-9, 6-6 GAC) held Harding to shooting 33.9 percent from the field (20-of-59). SNU also held HU to shooting 3-of-18 from behind the 3-point line.

The Crimson Storm was led by senior guard Oumoul Thiam who had 21 points, hitting 7-of-16 from the field and was perfect from the free throw line making 6-of-6. Senior forward Annie Kassongo also scored 14 points.

Junior forward Kristen Celsor led the Lady Bisons with 18 points and had a game-high 11 rebounds for her fourth double-double of the season. Sophomore guard Shana Holmes made three 3-pointers and finished with 13 points.

Southern Nazarene led for much of the first half until Harding went on a 7-0 run in the last 1:40 of the half to take a 32-29 lead into halftime.

The Crimson Storm came out of the locker room and quickly regained the lead on two baskets by Thiam. The Lady Bisons kept the game close in the final 10 minutes of action as they cut the lead to three points three times but SNU answered back each time. Harding looked for another run like the first half to close out the game but SNU made 5-of-6 from the free throw line to seal the victory.

Harding forced 17 of Southern Nazarene's 24 turnovers in the first half.  The Lady Bisons scored 19 points off turnovers in the first half but only three in the second half.

The Crimson Storm won the battle in the paint as they outscored HU 34-26.

The Lady Bisons will have the week off before traveling to Alva, Okla., to face Northwestern Oklahoma State next Thursday, Feb. 7th at 5:30 p.m.