Harding (19-5, 15-3 GAC) at Arkansas Tech (19-5, 14-4 GAC)
Location: Russellville, Ark.
When: Thursday
Time: 5:30 p.m.
Coaches:
Harding – Tim Kirby (189-95, 10th season)
Arkansas Tech – Dave Wilbers (168-42, 7th season)
Live Stats/Live Audio/Live Video– Available on a link at HardingSports.com

HARDING                                    

- Harding will play its final regular season road game on Thursday when it travels to Arkansas Tech. Tip-off is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. If the Lady Bisons win, they will clinch the Great American Conference regular season championship.

- Harding (19-5, 15-3 GAC) sits in first place in the GAC. The Lady Bisons have a one game lead over second place Arkansas Tech. Harding has already sealed a spot in the GAC Tournament held in Bartlesville, Oklahoma March 5-8.

- The Lady Bisons were ranked fifth in the first NCAA Division II Central Region Rankings released on Wednesday. All of Harding's 24 games are considered regional games according to the NCAA. Eight teams will make the NCAA Central Region Tournament held March 13-16. Three automatic bids will be awarded to the three conference tournament champions (Great American, MIAA and Northern Sun) and five teams will receive at-large berths based on the rankings. Wednesday's rankings is the second of three before the selection show which will be announced at 10 p.m. Eastern time, Sunday, March 8 via web stream on NCAA.com.

- Harding is coming off a 58-53 win at East Central on Saturday. Senior forward Arielle Saunders led the Lady Bisons with 18 points and 15 rebounds. Freshman forward Sydney Layrock had 12 points, making 6-of-7 from the free throw line. Both teams only made 19 field goals in the game and Harding held East Central to 0-7 from behind the 3-point line.

- The Lady Bisons are led on the season by Saunders who ranks sixth in the GAC in scoring, averaging 16.3 points and ranks first in the GAC in rebounds, averaging 11.3 per game. She also ranks sixth in the GAC in field goal percentage, shooting 53.4 percent from the field.

- Saunders, who is the all-time blocks leader at Harding, picked up her 200th career block against East Central last Saturday. She has 86 more blocks than second place Kristen Celsor (2011-14). Saunders has 1,256 career points and needs 84 more points to move into eighth all-time at Harding. She is also two field goals away from making 500 in her career.

- Saunders' double-double against East Central set a new Harding record in double-doubles in a season in the NCAA era. Saunders has 16 as she past Heather Lawrence (1999-03) for the most in a season. Lawrence had 15 in the 2002-03 season. Saunders has recorded 41 double-doubles in her career which is 16 more than second place Lawrence who had 25 in her career.

- Montana Lewis also averages in double figures for Harding. She is second on the team in points, averaging 11.1 per game and second on the team in rebounds averaging 5.6 per game. Lewis needs 11 more points to move into 14th place all-time at Harding. She currently has 1,019.  

- Sophomore guard A'ndrea Haney is third in the GAC in assists averaging 3.7 per game and is fourth in the GAC in steals averaging 2.0 per game. She also needs seven points to reach 500 in her career.

- Harding has hit 172 3-pointers this season which ranks fourth in the GAC. Freshman guard Lundon Williams leads the Lady Bisons with 33. Montana Lewis is close behind with 30. The Lady Bisons also rank third in the GAC in 3-point field goal percentage, shooting 35.2 percent. Williams is shooting 42.9 percent from behind the 3-point line to rank second in the GAC. Corry Moyer ranks third in the GAC, shooting 40.0 percent and Lewis ranks eighth shooting 37.5 percent.

- Harding ranks first in the GAC in scoring margin, averaging 12.8 more points than its opponents. The Lady Bisons also rank first in field goal percentage defense as they are holding their opponents to shooting 36.7 percent from the field.

- Harding ranks first in the GAC in rebounding margin as it is averaging 7.5 more rebounds than their opponents this season. The Lady Bisons have only been outrebounded five times this season. Harding has been outrebounded in three of its five losses.

ARKANSAS TECH

- Arkansas Tech heads into the game with a 19-5 overall record and a 14-4 GAC record. The Golden Suns have lost their last two GAC games. They fell at East Central 66-56 and at Southeastern Oklahoma 80-68.

- Arkansas Tech is led by Fatima Adams who averages 21.3 points to rank second in the GAC. She also ranks third in the GAC in rebounds averaging 9.7 per game. She has led the Golden Suns in points and rebounds in 13 games this season. Adams ranks third in the GAC in field goal percentage, shooting 55.0 percent from the field.

- Anissa Pounds is second on the team in scoring averaging 13.3 points and 4.5 rebounds.

- Katrina Hayden ranks first in the GAC in assists averaging 4.1 per game. As a team, Arkansas Tech ranks third in the GAC in assists, averaging 14.5 per game.

- The Golden Suns rank first in the GAC in scoring offense, averaging 74.8 points per game. They also rank first in field goal percentage, shooting 45.8 percent from the field.

SERIES

- Harding has won the last four meetings against Arkansas Tech. It will be the 59th meeting between the two teams.

- The Lady Bisons won last year in Russellville 87-52. Arielle Saunders captured a double-double in the game with 15 points and had a game-high 11 rebounds.

- When the two teams met earlier this season in Searcy, Harding won 74-61. Arielle Saunders led the Lady Bisons with 28 points. She also grabbed a game-high 14 rebounds. Montana Lewis added 12 points and eight rebounds for Harding. Arkansas Tech was led by Fatima Adams and Anissa Pounds who each had 16 points. Danielle Frachiseur had 11 points for the Golden Suns. The Lady Bisons held the Golden Suns to only three 3-pointers in the game. Arkansas Tech went 3-of-11 from behind the arc. Harding also made 22-of-31 free throws in the game.