Game Notes
No. 6 Harding (15-0, 7-0 GAC) vs. Southern Arkansas (7-5, 3-3 GAC)
Location: Searcy, Ark.
When: Thursday
Time: 5:30 p.m.
Coaches:
Harding – Tim Kirby (156-87, 9th season)
Southern Arkansas – Rusty Rainbolt (7-5, 1st season)
Live Stats/Live Video – Available on a link at HardingSports.com
Harding
- Harding heads into the game with a 15-0 overall record and will be looking to continue its best start in program history on Thursday. The previous record was held by the 1996-97 team as they opened the season 13-0.
- The Lady Bisons moved up two more spots in the latest coaches' poll as they moved from eighth to sixth. It's the highest Harding has been ranked in the WBCA poll. The Lady Bisons are one of only six teams in the top 25 that is still undefeated, as all six are in the top 6 in the poll.
- Harding is coming off an 80-62 win over Southeastern Oklahoma on Monday. It was a makeup game that was rescheduled due to weather. Senior forward Kristen Celsor captured her 12th career double-double with 20 points and 10 rebounds. The Lady Bisons made a school record 16 3-pointers in the game as they attempted another school record 39. Harding made nine in the first half as they led 39-27 at the break. Celsor, Haney and sophomore guard Kaylee Wiedower all had three 3-pointers. All 10 of Harding players that played in the game attempted at least one 3-pointer.
- Kristen Celsor is leading Harding in scoring, averaging 18.5 points which ranks second in the GAC. Celsor is averaging 23 points in GAC action which ranks second.
- Junior forward Arielle Saunders needs 9 points to get to her 700th career point. Celsor is the only other active player that has scored over 700 points (1305 points).
- Harding is outscoring its GAC opponents by 20.3 points which ranks first. It's 14 more points than Southeastern Oklahoma who is in second place.
- Kristen Celsor ranks seventh in the GAC in 3-point field goals made a game with an average of 2.1 per game. As a team, Harding ranks first in GAC in 3-pointers made per game with an average of 9.6.
- Kristen Celsor needs two more blocks to get to 100 in her career. She ranks third all-time in blocks. Junior forward Arielle Saunders is Harding's all-time leader with 124.
- Harding is averaging 42.1 rebounds per game (second in the GAC) which is 8.1 more than its opponents. Arielle Saunders leads the Lady Bisons on the boards, averaging 9.2 a game which ranks second in the GAC. Saunders has grabbed 15 rebounds in a game, four times and needs 12 rebounds to get to 600 in her career. She also needs one offensive rebound to get to 200 in her career.
- Junior guard Tabitha Haney is the only active Harding player that has hit over 100 career 3-pointers. Haney has hit 103 career 3-pointers. Other Harding players that are close to the mark are Celsor who has made 91 and Holmes who has made 83.
- Harding ranks first in the GAC in scoring defense (59.3), scoring margin (+21.3), field goal percentage (44.8), 3-point field goal percentage (38.5), assists (17.6) and assist/turnover ratio (1.4).
- Celsor needs one more 30-point performance to tie the Harding record for the most 30-point games in a season. Celsor currently has four this season and five in her career. Kymm Alexander (1990-94) and Angie Dugger (1993-97) hold the record for the most in a season with five. Alexander also holds the record for the most in a career with 11. Dugger is second with ten.
Southern Arkansas
- Southern Arkansas is located in Magnolia, Ark., and has an enrollment of 2,918.
- Southern Arkansas heads into the game with a 7-5 overall record and a 3-3 GAC record.
- The Lady Muleriders are coming off an 86-68 loss at Southern Nazarene on Saturday. Junior forward Chanel Miller led Southern Arkansas with 14 points.
- It will be the first time Southern Arkansas has played a ranked team this season.
- The Lady Muleriders are 2-3 on the road overall and 1-1 in the GAC.
- Southern Arkansas is led by Chanel Miller who averages 15.1 points which ranks 10th in the GAC. Miller has led the Lady Muleriders in scoring 11 times this season.
- Southern Arkansas ranks first in the GAC in steals, averaging 12.9 and offensive rebounds with an average of 18.1 per game.
- Junior forward Mariam Ridgwell ranks second in the GAC in field goal percentage, shooting 54.8 from the field.
- Southern Arkansas is coached by Rusty Rainbolt who is in his first season at the helm of the Lady Muleriders.
Series
- Harding leads the series 36-20
- The Lady Bisons have won the last seven meetings.
- Harding also holds the series record in Searcy, 21-7 as they Lady Bisons have won the last nine meetings in Searcy.
- Last season in Searcy, Harding won 97-42. Kristen Celsor led the Lady Bisons with 27 points, making 12-of-13 from the field. She also led Harding on the boards with 12. Junior guard Shana Holmes hit three 3-pointers and finished with 17 points.
