Harding (20-6, 16-4 GAC) vs. Southern Arkansas (9-17, 7-13 GAC)
Location: Bartlesville, Okla.
When: Thursday
Time: 5:45 p.m.
Coaches:
Harding – Tim Kirby (190-96, 10th season)
Southern Arkansas – Rusty Rainbolt (21-32, 2nd season)
Live Stats/Live Audio/Live Video– Available on a link at HardingSports.com

HARDING                                    

- Harding, who captured the Great American Conference Regular Season Championship on Saturday, will be the No. 1 seed in the GAC Tournament held in Bartlesville, Oklahoma March 5-8. The Lady Bisons will open the tournament against No. 8 seed Southern Arkansas on Thursday at 5:45 p.m.

- Harding holds a 5-3 record in the GAC Tournament. It is the second time the Lady Bisons have been the No. 1 seed. Harding has reached the finals two times and has made at least the semifinals since the conference was formed in 2011. Southwestern Oklahoma has been the Lady Bisons kryptonite in the GAC Tournament. The Bulldogs have knocked Harding out of the tournament each of the last three years. 

- Harding won its 20th game of the season on Saturday when it defeated Ouachita Baptist 81-56 on Saturday. It is the second straight year the Lady Bisons have won 20 games. Harding had accomplished the feat nine times in 31 years.

- In the win over the Lady Tigers, Harding was led by senior forward Arielle Saunders who had a career-high 30 points and captured a double-double with 13 rebounds. It was her 17th double-double of the season and her 42nd in her career. Senior guard Montana Lewis also captured a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds. Sophomore guard A'ndrea Haney added 11 points, making 7-of-11 free throws.

- The Lady Bisons were ranked fifth in the first NCAA Division II Central Region Rankings released on Wednesday. All of Harding's 26 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 final one before the selection show which will be announced at 10 p.m. Eastern time, Sunday, March 8 via web stream on NCAA.com.

- The Lady Bisons are led on the season by Saunders who ranks sixth in the GAC in scoring, averaging 17.0 points and ranks second in the GAC in rebounds, averaging 11.2 per game. She also ranks sixth in the GAC in field goal percentage, shooting 53.0 percent from the field.

- Saunders, who is the all-time blocks leader at Harding, picked up her 200th career block earlier this season. She has 86 more blocks than second place Kristen Celsor (2011-14). Saunders has 1,308 career points and needs 32 more points to move into eighth all-time at Harding. She is only the third player in Harding history to get to 1,000 points and 1,000 rebounds. Saunders also needs 12 assists to reach 300 in her career. She currently ranks eighth all-time at Harding in assists and needs 20 more to move into seventh.

- Saunders has 17 double-doubles as she recently past Heather Lawrence (1999-03) for the most in a season in the NCAA era. Lawrence had 15 in the 2002-03 season. Saunders has recorded 42 double-doubles in her career which is 17 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 10.8 per game and second on the team in rebounds averaging 5.8 per game. Lewis needs 41 more points to move into 12th place all-time at Harding. She currently has 1,035 points.  Lewis also needs one more steal to reach 100 in her career.

- Sophomore guard A'ndrea Haney is third in the GAC in assists averaging 3.6 per game and is fourth in the GAC in steals averaging 2.0 per game. She scored her 500th career point against Arkansas Tech.

- Senior guard Tabitha Haney needs four more 3-pointers to reach 150 in her career. She would be fifth player in Harding history to accomplish the feat. Haney currently sits in fifth place all-time at Harding with 146. She needs 11 more to move into fifth place and pass Kinsey Tucker (2004-08) who had 156 in her career.

- Harding has hit 186 3-pointers this season which ranks fourth in the GAC and ranks fifth all-time at Harding in a season. Freshman guard Lundon Williams leads the Lady Bisons with 38. Montana Lewis is close behind with 31. The Lady Bisons also rank third in the GAC in 3-point field goal percentage, shooting 34.8 percent. Williams is shooting 43.2 percent from behind the 3-point line to rank second in the GAC. Corry Moyer ranks sixth in the GAC, shooting 38.4 percent and Lewis ranks ninth shooting 37.3 percent.

SOUTHERN ARKANSAS

- Southern Arkansas heads into the tournament with a 9-17 overall record and earned the No. 8 seed, going 7-13 in GAC games this season.

- Southern Arkansas has won four of its last five games. The Lady Muleriders defeated Henderson State in Arkadelphia, Arkansas 89-83 to earn the last spot in the tournament. Senior Chanel Miller had 31 points in the game, making 11 field goals and going 8-for-10 from the free throw line.

- Southern Arkansas is led on the season by Bryant who averages 13.7 points and 6.7 rebounds. Miller is close behind, averaging 12.7 points.

- The Lady Muleriders leads the GAC in steals, averaging 10.6 per game. They have recorded 276 steals season.

- Southern Arkansas has three players that rank in the top 10 in the GAC in field goal percentage. All are shooting over 46 percent. Bryant is shooting 49.8 percent, Miller is shooting 48.6 percent and Tierra Rucker is shooting 46.9 percent.

- Miller ranks second in the GAC in free throw percentage. She is shooting 85.9 percent in 78 attempts, making 67 of them.

SERIES

- It will be the first time the teams have met in a conference tournament.

- Harding leads the series 40-20.

- The Lady Bisons won both meetings this season. Harding won the first game in Magnolia, Arkansas 74-53 and then won 72-61 in Searcy.  

- Against the Lady Muleriders this season, the Lady Bisons were led by Montana Lewis who averaged 15.0 points and 6.0 rebounds. A'ndrea Haney averaged 12.0 points and 6.5 assists and Arielle Saunders averaged 12.0 points and 11.0 rebounds. Harding combined to shoot 54.5 percent from the field and held Southern Arkansas to shooting 37.7 percent. The Lady Bisons also shot 50.0 percent (20-of-40) from behind the 3-point line. Harding averaged 36.5 rebounds and 21.5 assists.

- In the two games, Southern Arkansas was led by Rosa Bryant who averaged 11.0 points and 5.0 rebounds. Cemetra Jenkins also averaged 11.0 points and made three 3-pointers.