Box Score
Photo Gallery
Harding: Shana Holmes – 14 points, hitting four 3-pointers
Harding: Deshelle Isaac-Boyce – 13 points
Harding: Arielle Saunders – 10 rebounds
Northwestern Oklahoma: Relina Johnson – 15 points
Northwestern Oklahoma: Jonae Isaac – 14 points
SEARCY – The sixth-ranked Harding women's basketball team collected its 20th win of the season as the Lady Bisons defeated Northwestern Oklahoma 73-52 on Thursday in Great American Conference action. Harding improved to 20-1 overall and 12-1 in the GAC.
It is only the seventh time in school history Harding has won 20 games. The last time was during the 2008-09 season when Harding went 20-10. The most wins in a season came in 1996-97 when Harding went 26-4.
"I was proud of our defensive effort, especially early," Harding head coach Tim Kirby said. "I thought we battled hard on the defensive end."
Harding was led by junior guard Shana Holmes who hit four of the Lady Bisons' 10 3-pointers and finished with a team-high 14 points. Senior guard Deshelle Isaac-Boyce came off the bench and scored 11 of her 13 points in the first half.
Both teams had slow starts as Northwestern Oklahoma took a 4-1 lead with 14:22 left in the first half. Harding scored its first bucket with 13:36 left on the clock as Isaac-Boyce converted a traditional 3-point play. The Rangers answered with a bucket but a 3-pointer by junior guard Tabitha Haney gave Harding its first lead with 12:39 left in the first half. The Lady Bisons never relinquished the lead and led by as many as 32 in the second half.
Northwestern Oklahoma was led by freshman guard Relina Johnson who had 15 points, hitting three 3-pointers. Freshman guard Jonae Isaac had 14 points. Both players came off the bench for the Rangers.
Harding held Northwestern Oklahoma to 36.5 percent shooting. The Rangers shot only 28.6 percent in the first half.
In the first half, Harding had 13 steals on Northwestern Oklahoma's 20 turnovers. The Lady Bisons turned them into 14 points and led 32-20 at halftime.
Junior forward Arielle Saunders grabbed 10 of Harding's 42 rebounds. It was the ninth time this season she has had 10 or more rebounds. Saunders also had six assists, four steals and three blocks.
Freshman guard A'ndrea Haney had six assists and a season-high six steals for Harding.
The Lady Bisons' 16 steals tied for the second most this season. Harding has had more than 10 steals in a game 13 times.
Harding will be back in action Saturday as it hosts Southwestern Oklahoma at 2 p.m. The Lady Bulldogs are currently tied with Southeastern Oklahoma for second place in the GAC standings.
