Game Notes
SEARCY – The Harding women's basketball team looks to advance to the Great American Conference Finals on Saturday as they take on No. 2 seed Southwestern Oklahoma State at 12 p.m., in Bartlesville, Okla. The Lady Bisons fell to SWOSU in the finals of last season's GAC Tournament 69-58.
Harding is coming off a 77-63 win over Southeastern Oklahoma State on Thursday in the quarterfinals. Sophomore forward Arielle Saunders came within a block to capture a triple-double in the game. Saunders had 10 points, a career-high 18 rebounds and broke the Harding school individual game record with nine blocks. The Lady Bisons were led in scoring by sophomore guard Shana Holmes who hit a career-high five 3-pointers and finished with 21 points.
It's the fifth straight time Harding has advanced to the second round of their conference tournament. The only time HU won their second-round game was last season as HU defeated Southeastern Oklahoma State 62-54.
Shana Holmes averaged 16.5 points against Southwestern Oklahoma State this season. Junior forward Kristen Celsor averaged 15 points and 9.5 rebounds. In the two games, Celsor made 11-of-18 field goals (61.1 percent). Arielle Saunders grabbed nine of her 19 rebounds against the Lady Bulldogs on the offensive end. Southwestern Oklahoma State leads the series between the two teams 6-5.
SWOSU averaged 9.5 3-pointers against HU this season. The Lady Bulldogs made nine in the first game and 10 in the second game. They have also outrebounded the Lady Bisons in both games. Arkansas Tech and Henderson State are the only other teams to outrebound Harding in both GAC games this season.
When HU and SWOSU met in Searcy earlier this season, Harding walked away with a 69-61 victory. Shana Holmes led HU with 19 points, she also grabbed a career-high seven rebounds. Kristen Celsor had 18 points and made 7-of-11 from the field. Arielle Saunders had 15 points and 13 rebounds. Senior guard SaRaya Oyler made three 3-pointers and had 23 points, making 9-of-18 from the field for SWOSU.
It was a different story in Weatherford. The Lady Bulldogs won 84-69 behind Michelle Fisher's 28 points. Fisher made 4-of-9 3-pointers and was 10-of-20 from the field. Shana Holmes once again led HU with 14 points. Junior guard Lauren Crenshaw made four 3-pointers and finished with 12 points for the Lady Bisons.
HU (19-8) is led on the season by Kristen Ceslor who averages 14.9 points, which ranks seventh in the GAC. Shana Holmes averages 13.1 points and Arielle Saunders averages 10.4 points.
Kristen Celsor and Arielle Saunder both led the Lady Bisons on the boards averaging 8.2 rebounds a game, which ranks fourth in the GAC. Sophomore guard Montana Lewis ranks tenth in the GAC (6.9 rpg).
The Lady Bisons rank first in the GAC in scoring defense as they only allow their opponents to score 59.6 points per game.
Kristen Celsor passed the 1,000 point milestone in the first two minutes of the game against Southeastern Oklahoma State on Thursday. Celsor had 17 points which now puts her at 1,013 points in her career which ranks 13th all-time at Harding. Angie Dugger (1993-97) is HU's all-time scoring leader with 2,369 points.
SWOSU heads into the game with a 22-5 overall record. The Lady Bulldogs have won their last seven-straight games. Their only loss in their last 14 games was against Arkansas Tech. Southwestern Oklahoma State fell 82-46 in Weatherford.
The Lady Bulldogs came into the GAC Tournament ranked seventh in the central region with the top eight teams advancing to the NCAA Division II Tournament. SWOSU has a 21-4 record against in-region teams.
Southwestern Oklahoma State ranks first in the GAC in four categories – scoring offense (80.9), scoring margin (+10.5), 3-point field goal percentage (35.6) and 3-point field goals made (8.8). The Lady Bulldogs rank third in Division II in scoring offense and fourth in 3-point field goals made per game.
Michelle Fisher leads SWOSU in scoring averaging 17.3 points, which ranks third in the GAC. Kimmi Sawatzky is shooting 48.4 percent from behind the 3-point line which ranks first in the GAC. Fisher leads the GAC in 3-point field goals made, averaging 2.6 a game.
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