SEARCY – Harding junior Sage Hawley had 21 points and a school-record tying 21 rebounds, but the Lady Bisons could not overcome 31 turnovers in a 58-57 loss to Emporia State on Friday in the season opener for both teams.
Harding (0-1) returns to action Saturday at 6 p.m. against 19th-ranked Missouri Southern, who defeated Henderson State 74-59 in the day's first game. Emporia State, a member of the MIAA located in Emporia, Kansas, will take on Henderson State at 11 a.m.
Harding trailed 55-47 with 4:53 left, but the Lady Bisons scored the next six points, including a 3-pointer from Kendrick Bailey, who tied her career-high with 15 points.
After an Emporia State free throw, Hawley was fouled and made two free throws to cut the deficit to 56-55 with just over a minute left.
Emporia State (1-0) used a putback layup with 32 seconds left to push its lead to three points.
Harding's Jacie Evans made a layup with 2.4 ticks remaining, but Emporia State ran out the clock.
Hawley shot 8 of 14 from the field for her 10th career game with 20 points or more. It was her 20th career double-double and first game with 20 or more rebounds. The only other Harding player with at least 21 points and 21 rebounds in the same game was Harding Hall of Famer Angie Dugger, who had 32 points and 21 rebounds against Lyon in 1996.
Bailey made 5 of 8 3-pointers to account for all of her scoring. Jacie Evans had her sixth career double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds.
Neither team shot well in the first quarter. Emporia State missed 12 consecutive shots but led 12-9 after the first 10 minutes. Harding was 4 of 15 in the quarter, and Emporia was 3 of 17. The Lady Bisons had 11 turnovers in the period but had a 15-10 rebound advantage.
Harding answered a 6-0 Emporia State run early in the second quarter by scoring seven straight points to pull within 23-21 with 2:48 left in the half. Hawley hit a jumper with just over a minute left, and the Lady Bisons trailed 26-22 at the half.
Harding had 18 first half turnovers but stayed in the game by outrebounding Emporia State 30-18 and limiting the Lady Hornets to only 22% shooting (8 of 36). Emporia State missed 17 3-pointers in the first half.
Hawley had nine points and 10 rebounds in the first half.
Harding had only four turnovers in the third quarter and took a 38-34 lead on Kendrick Bailey's 3-pointer with 3:51 left. The quarter ended tied 42-42. Harding scored 20 points in the period, 10 coming from Hawley.
Harding took a 44-42 lead on Patricija Peric's layup to open the fourth quarter, but Emporia State went on a 13-3 run over the next five minutes and led by eight with 4:53 left.
Gallery: (11-11-2022) 2022-23 WBB vs. Emporia State
