BOX SCORE || BARTLESVILLE, Okla. - One night after struggling in its quarterfinal match with Ouachita Baptist, top seed and No. 2 in Division II Harding left no doubt against Arkansas Tech as the Lady Bisons made their second Great American Conference Women's Basketball Championship title game with an 81-48 semifinal victory on Saturday from Bruin Fieldhouse.
The Lady Bisons (29-1) built a double-digit advantage barely five minutes into the game and ever left off the accelerator during the first half as they built a 45-17 lead. GAC Player of the Year Kristen Celsor, who did not record a field goal against Ouachita Baptist, scored nine of the first 14 points en route to an 11-point, 11-rebound first half. The Lady Bisons shot an even 50 percent from the floor in the first half and held the Golden Suns (17-11) to just 19.2 percent on 5-of-26 shooting.
Celsor finished with 16 points and 14 rebounds and five blocks. Shana Holmes matched Celsor's 16 points. She connected of 4-of-7 3-point tries. Arielle Saunders added four blocks as the Lady Bisons blocked a total of 10 Arkansas Tech shots.
Entering the 2013-14 season, Harding owned only three wins against Arkansas Tech in 55 all-time meetings. The Lady Bisons picked up three wins this season over a seven-week span. Caroline Eubanks led the Golden Suns with 10 points and six rebounds.
Harding will attempt to win its first GAC Women's Basketball Tournament title and pick up its 30th win of the season when it faces Southwestern Oklahoma State at 3:30 p.m. Sunday in a rematch of the 2012 title game. SWOSU has eliminated Harding in each of the first two GAC Women's Basketball Tournaments. The Lady Bisons can become the first Division II team this season to reach the 30-win plateau with a victory. The All GAC Basketball Championship contests stream on
GACSportsNetwork.com.