||
BOX SCORE || BARTLESVILLE, Okla. - Harding, the Great American Conference's top seed and the nation's second-ranked team, survived a game effort from Ouachita Baptist with a 60-57 victory in Friday's GAC Championship quarterfinal contest from Bruin Fieldhouse.
The Lady Bisons (28-1) built a 13-point advantage late in the first half and carried a 33-24 lead into the break. Over the course of the second half, they saw Ouachita Baptist (9-18) chip away at that lead and even take a one-point on three occasions.
The Lady Bisons went a stretch of 11:42 in the second half in between field goals. Arielle Saunders ended the long drought when she completed a 3-point play with 2:11 left in the game. From that point on, Harding hit seven-straight free throws down the stretch to escape with the three-point win. Despite shooting only 14.3 percent on 3-of-21 shooting in the second half, they avoided becoming the second women's top seed to lose its GAC quarterfinal contest. In 2012, Southeastern Oklahoma State upset Arkansas Tech, 84-72.
Thanks to converting 12-of-14 from the free-throw line, GAC Freshman of the Year A'ndrea Haney led Harding with 17 points. Saunders added nine points and nine rebounds. GAC Player of the Year Kristen Celsor battled foul trouble throughout the game and finished with only five points - all on free throws.
Nashia James, a Second-Team All-GAC guard, paced the Lady Tigers with 15 points. Katherine West added 12 points.
Harding will go for its second trip to the GAC title game when it faces the winner of the Arkansas Tech-Southeastern Oklahoma State game at 8 p.m. on Saturday. Harding won both of its games against both the Golden Suns and Savage Storm. All GAC Basketball Championship contests stream on
GACSportsNetwork.com.