BOX SCORE || BARTLESVILLE, Okla. – After a total of 44 points decided the first seven games at the Great American Conference Men’s and Women’s Basketball Championships, the fourth-seeded Arkansas Tech Golden Suns enjoyed a lead of as many as 32 points as they cruised to 84-53 victory against Southeastern Oklahoma State in Friday’s fourth quarterfinal from the Bruin Fieldhouse.
After falling behind 8-2 to start the game, the Golden Suns (17-10) hit 14 of their next 15 shots and outscored the Savage Storm (13-14) 37-13 during a 13:31 stretch. They finished the first half by shooting 62.1 percent, the best half of shooting ever in the three-year history of the GAC Women's Basketball Championship.
Jacinda Myers-Sanders hit 6-of-7 shots in the first half en route to totaling 15 points. She finished with 20 points and 10 rebounds. He hit 8-of-9 free throws and the Golden Suns made 26-of-29 for the game to set another GAC Championship single-game record. The 89.7 free-throw percentage broke the mark of 88.5 percent set by the Golden Suns against East Central in last year's semifinal.
Breana Small-Peppers led the Savage Storm with 20 points. Emily Williams, who had averaged 28.5 points in the two regular-season meetings, failed to score in 23 minutes of action.
The Golden Suns will seek a return trip to the title game when they face top-seeded Harding at 8 p.m. on Saturday. The Lady Bisons won both regular-season meetings. All GAC Basketball Championship contests stream on
GACSportsNetwork.com.