Game Notes
No. 4 Harding (23-1, 15-1 GAC) vs. Southern Arkansas (11-11, 7-9 GAC)
Location: Magnolia, Ark.
When: Thursday
Time: 5:30 p.m.
Coaches:
Harding – Tim Kirby (164-88, 9th season)
Southern Arkansas – Rusty Rainbolt (11-11, 1st season)
Live Stats/Live Video – Available on a link at HardingSports.com
Harding
- Harding heads into the game with a 23-1 overall record and a 15-1 GAC record. It is only the third time in school history Harding has won 23 games. The last time Harding won 23 games in a season was in 1996-97 when the Lady Bisons won a school-record 26 games.
- The Lady Bisons climbed to No. 4 in the latest USA TODAY Sports Coaches' Poll released on Tuesday. The Lady Bisons are the highest ranked team in the Central Region. It's the seventh straight week Harding has been ranked in the top 10. It was the 12th straight week Harding has been ranked.
- Harding captured at least a share of the GAC regular season title last Saturday in the win over Ouachita Baptist. If the Lady Bisons win on Thursday they will win the regular season outright.
- Harding was ranked No. 2 in the NCAA Division II Central Region in the first regional rankings released on Wednesday. It is the highest the Lady Bisons have ever been ranked regionally. The last time Harding was ranked was in 2008 when the team was ranked as high as No. 7 heading into the Gulf South Conference Tournament.
- Harding is coming off a 72-65 win over Ouachita Baptist last Saturday in Searcy. Freshman guard A'ndrea Haney led the Lady Bisons with a season-high 17 points, making 11-of-12 from the free throw line. She also had six assists. Junior forward Arielle Saunders had 12 points. Senior forward Kristen Celsor had 10 points and nine rebounds. Both Saunders and Celsor battled foul trouble throughout the game. Harding made 25-of-34 free throws. It was the second most free throws the Lady Bisons have made this season. Harding made 27 against Henderson State on Jan. 9.
- Kristen Celsor is leading Harding in scoring, averaging 17.3 points which ranks fifth in the GAC. Celsor is averaging 18.7 points in GAC action which ranks second.
- Kristen Celsor needs two 3-pointers to get to 100 in their career. She would join junior guards Tabitha Haney (116) and Shana Holmes (101) as the only active Harding players that have made over 100 career 3-pointers.
- Arielle Saunders needs three more assists to get to 200 in her career. She is the only active player that has 197 or more assists in her career.
- Harding ranks first in the GAC in assists, averaging 17.7 per game. A'ndrea Haney ranks first in the GAC, averaging 4.0 per game. Arielle Saunders ranks fourth averaging 3.4.
- Tabitha Haney ranks second in the GAC in 3-point field goal percentage shooting 44.3 percent. Kristen Celsor ranks fifth, shooting 40.3 percent. Shana Holmes ranks tied for sixth in the GAC in 3-pointers made, averaging 2.0 per game.
- The Lady Bisons need 15 more 3-pointers to break the Harding single season record. The Lady Bisons currently have 201 and the Harding record is 216. It was done twice, first in 2006-07 and then in 2007-08.
- Deshelle Isaac-Boyce needs eight rebounds to get to 200 in her career. She would join three other active players (Kristen Celsor, Montana Lewis and Arielle Saunders) with 200 or more rebounds.
- Harding ranks first in the GAC in scoring defense (60.3), scoring margin (+19.6), field goal percentage (44.7), field goal percentage defense (37.1), 3-point field goal percentage (38.3), 3-point field goal pct. Defense (28.0), assists (17.7), turnover margin (+5.42) 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 11-11 overall record and a 7-9 GAC record. The Lady Muleriders are currently in seventh place in the GAC standings.
- Southern Arkansas is 6-4 at home this season and 4-4 in GAC games.
- The Lady Muleirders are coming off a 74-58 loss against Southern Nazarene last Thursday in Magnolia. Junior forward Chanel Miller led Southern Arkansas with 23 points and eight rebounds.
- Chanel Miller leads the Lady Muleriders on the season, averaging 16.2 points ranking her seventh in the GAC.
- Southern Arkansas leads the GAC in steals, averaging 11.3. Junior guard Allie Wade leads the Lady Muleriders and ranks fourth in the GAC, averaging 1.9 per game.
Series
- Harding leads the series 36-20
- Harding won the meeting in Magnolia last season, 91-44. Kristen Celsor led all scoring with 21 points, making 8-of-10 free throws. Shana Holmes finished with 18, making 7-of-12 from the field, including two 3-pointers. Harding shot 49.3 percent from the field in the game making 34-of-69 shots. Harding had 48 rebounds and 15 steals.
- Earlier this season in Searcy, Harding won 70-59. Senior forward Kristen Celsor captured a double-double with 18 points and 11 rebounds to lead Harding. Celsor made 7-of-13 from the field. Junior guard Montana Lewis had 14 points and junior guard Shana Holmes had 12 points, hitting two 3-pointers. Southern Arkansas was led by Chanel Miller who had 18 points, hitting 7-of-15 from the field. Miller also had 11 rebounds. Wade finished with 16 points, hitting four 3-pointers. The Lady Bisons forced 26 Lady Mulerider turnovers. Harding had five blocks in the game and was led by Celsor who had a season-high four. She also picked up her 100th career block.
