Game Notes
No. 6 Harding (18-0, 10-0 GAC) at East Central (10-6, 5-5 GAC)
Location: Ada, Okla.
When: Saturday
Time: 2 p.m.
Coaches:
Harding – Tim Kirby (159-87, 9th season)
East Central –Emily Holombek (Interim Head Coach)
Live Stats/Live Video – Available on a link at HardingSports.com
Harding
- Harding heads into the game with an 18-0 overall record and will be looking to continue its best start in program history on Saturday. The previous record was held by the 1996-97 team as they opened the season 13-0.
- The Lady Bisons will be looking for their 11th Great American Conference win on Thursday. It's the second straight year the Lady Bisons has won 10 conference games which are the only times Harding has won 10 or more since joining the NCAA in 1997.
- Harding will also be looking to continue its road winning streak of eight games which the Lady Bisons set last Saturday at Arkansas-Monticello. The previous record of six was done two times from 1996-97.
- The Lady Bisons stayed at No. 6 in this week's poll. It's the highest Harding has been ranked in the poll. The Lady Bisons are one of only five teams in the top 25 that is still undefeated, as all five are in the top 6 in the poll. It was the eighth straight week Harding has been ranked.
- Harding is coming off an 87-52 win at Arkansas Tech on Thursday. Senior forward Kristen Celsor led the Lady Bisons with 24 points. Celsor made her 500th career field goal in the game as she went 10-of-14 from the field. Junior forward Arielle Saunders captured her 21st career double-double with 15 points and 11 rebounds.
- Kristen Celsor is leading Harding in scoring, averaging 18.7 points which ranks second in the GAC. Celsor is averaging 21.7 points in GAC action which ranks second.
- Kristen Celsor needs six 3-pointers to get to 100 in her career. Junior guard Tabitha Haney is the only active Harding player that has made over 100 career 3-pointers (107). Shana Holmes needs 11 to get to 100.
- In the first half of the GAC season, Harding is averaging 81.6 points which ranks second in GAC and the Lady Bisons rank first in the GAC in scoring margin averaging 19.7 more points than its opponents. The Lady Bisons are shot 45.8 percent from the field (first in the GAC) and 41.0 percent from behind the 3-point line (first in the GAC). Harding also averaged 40.6 rebounds, 18.3 assists (first in the GAC), 10.4 steals (first in the GAC) and 3.7 blocks.
- In GAC games this season Kristen Celsor is shooting 52.9 percent from behind the 3-point line which ranks first in the GAC. As a team, Harding ranks first in conference games, shooting 41.0 percent.
- Harding ranks first in the GAC in scoring defense (59.2), scoring margin (+20.8), field goal percentage (45.3), 3-point field goal percentage (38.8), assists (17.6), turnover margin (+5.00) 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.
East Central
- East Central is located in Ada, Okla., and has an enrollment of 5,727.
- East Central heads into the game with a 10-6 overall record and 5-5 in the GAC.
- The Lady Tigers are coming off a 78-68 loss at Southeastern Oklahoma on Wednesday. East Central was led by senior guard Alex Tucker who had 15 points, hitting three 3-pointers. Junior forward Dilan Webster made 7-of-14 from the field and grabbed six rebounds.
- The Lady Tigers are led on the season by senior forward Alycea Price who averages 11.3 points. Both Webster and junior guard Erin Walling average 10.9 points.
- East Central ranks first in the GAC in rebounding margin as they average 9.8 more rebounds than their opponent. Alycea Price leads the Lady Tigers, averaging 9.2 rebounds per game which ranks second in the GAC.
- East Central ranks second in the GAC in assists, averaging 15.4 per game. Alex Tucker leads the Lady Tigers averaging 3.6 per game which ranks second in the GAC.
- Senior forward Ashley Robinson is shooting 84.6 percent from the free throw line which ranks second in the conference.
- East Central is led at the helm by interim head coach Emily Holombek who takes over for long time coach Kent Franz who has been suspended from his coaching and teaching responsibilities this season.
Series
- Harding leads the series 6-5.
- Harding has won the last two meetings.
- East Central holds the series record in Ada, 4-1. The Lady Bisons last win in Ada came in 2012 when Harding won 65-49.
- Last season in Ada, East Central won 53-46. Shana Holmes led Harding with 18 points. Arielle Saunders grabbed 11 boards in the game.
- Earlier this season in Searcy, Harding won 81-45. Holmes led the Lady Bisons with 22 points, hitting 8-of-12 from the field and three 3-pointers. Kristen Celsor added 16 points and Tabitha Haney had 11, including three 3-pointers. The Lady Bisons led by as much as 41 points in the game. Harding forced 22 Lady Tiger turnovers and turned them into 23 points. East Central outrebounded the Lady Bisons 39-37 as they grabbed 20 offensive boards.
