Tweet #theGAC  BARTLESVILLE, Okla. – Henderson State defeated rival Ouachita 66-50 in Friday’s quarterfinal contest from the Bruin Fieldhouse to claim the program’s first win at the GAC Women’s Basketball Championships.
 
The Reddies (21-8) seized control in the second quarter when outscored the Tigers 15-8 to take a 30-22 lead at intermission. They allowed the Tigers (14-15) to make just 2-of-13 from the floor. Ouachita closed the gap to three, 38-35, early in the second half only to see Henderson State score 15 of the next 18 points. The Reddies maintained a double-digit advantage the remainder of the contest.
 
The Reddies earned their first win at a conference tournament since 2007 when they defeated Montevallo 75-39 in the first round of the Gulf South Conference Championships. They advanced to the semifinals of a conference tournament for the first time since 2006, when they went all the way to GSC final.      
 
Haleigh Henson scored a game-high 22 points. Henson, the GAC’s all-time leader in 3-point field goals, went just 1-for-9 from beyond the arc, but made 7-of-13 from inside the line and went a perfect 5-for-5 from the free throw line. Pink Jones, a First-Team All-GAC guard, scored 14 points in her first GAC Championship game.
 
In a series that dates back to 1972, the Reddies notched three wins against the Tigers in the same season for the first time in program history.  Alivia Huell scored 15 points for the Tigers and Shakyla Begnaud added 10.
 
The Reddies will take on Arkansas Tech in Saturday’s second women’s semifinal, set for an 8:00 PM start. The Reddies and Golden Suns split during the regular season as both won on their home courts. Henderson State will attempt to break the strangle hold held by Tech, Harding and Southwestern Oklahoma State as two of those three programs have in all six previous GAC finals.