BOX SCORE || BARTLESVILLE, Okla. – For the second-straight Great American Conference Women’s Basketball Championship game, top-seeded Harding held its opponent, Arkansas-Monticello, under to fewer than 50 points and a field-goal percentage mark below 30 percent. The Lady Bisons beat the Cotton Blossoms, 59-46, in Saturday’s second semifinal from Bruin Fieldhouse.
The Lady Bisons (22-6) advanced to their third GAC title game in four seasons as they defeated the Cotton Blossoms (14-13) by double figures for the sixth time in their last seven meetings. Through their two GAC Championship games this March, the Lady Bisons have held their two opponents to a combined 28.3 field-goal percentage from the floor and an even stingier 20.0 percent on 3-point tries.
In the opening 20 minutes of play, Sydney Layrock and Montana Lewis combined to make 8-of-11 shots as both scored 11 points to help Harding build a 37-23 lead. The Harding defense prevented UAM’s First-Team All-GAC performer Jordan Goforth from hitting a field goal in her seven tries.
The second half saw both teams struggle from the field, but Harding’s defense never allowed Arkansas-Monticello to pull any closer than nine points. For the game, Harding converted 19 UAM turnovers into 15 points while the Cotton Blossoms scored only four points off of 11 Lady Bisons turnovers.
Layrock finished with 17 points and added 13 rebounds for her second double-double of the season. Lewis equaled Layrock in scoring and added seven rebounds. Nelsha Peterson paced the Cotton Blossoms as she scored a game-high 20 points.
In the GAC title game, set for 1 PM on Sunday on GACSportsNetwork.com, the Lady Bisons will face the their regular-season co-champion counterparts, the Arkansas Tech Golden Suns. The Lady Bisons and Golden Suns split during the regular season - each won on their home floors. At the 2014 GAC Championships, Harding defeated Arkansas Tech, 81-48, in the semifinals.