Tweet #theGAC  SHAWNEE, Okla. – Arkansas Tech’s Alex Hill converted a layup with 0.6 seconds remaining to give seventh-seeded Arkansas Tech a 67-65 victory against second-seeded Southern Nazarene in Thursday’s opening Great American Conference Women’s Basketball Championship quarterfinal from FireLake Arena.
 
In a game in which the Golden Suns (15-12) trailed for only 18 seconds, Arkansas Tech found itself tied twice in the game’s final minute. Following a Cassandra Awatt 3-pointer that tied the game a 63, Nikki Metcalfe hit a baseline jumper with 15.8 seconds to go to give Tech a two-point lead. Awatt converted a leaning bank shot with 5.8 seconds left to level the contest a 65.
 
Following a timeout, Hill received the inbounds pass, drove towards the baseline, pivoted back towards the hoop and knocked home the layup. Without a timeout, Southern Nazarene (20-10) could not advance the ball and its desperation heave came up short.
 
Tech started fast in both the first and third quarters, outscoring the Crimson Storm by a combined 19 points in the two stanzas. Southern Nazarene rallied from an 11-point deficit in the second quarter to take its one lead, 30-29. The half ended with Kaley Shipman beating the buzzer with a deep 3-point field goal.
 
In the third quarter, the Golden Suns pushed its lead back to 13 only to see Southern Nazarene score 19 of the first 25 points in the fourth quarter to tie the score and set up the dramatic finish.
 
Tori Lasker scored a game-high 25 points on 9-of-16 shooting for the Golden Suns. Metcalfe added 14 on 7-of-9 shooting; Hill added 13 and Shipman scored 10.
 
Abby Niehues, the GAC’s Defensive Player, scored 16 points, grabbed 15 rebounds and blocked two shots in the loss. Awatt scored 13 and Kennedy Gillette added 10.
 
The Golden Suns improved to 3-0 in GAC quarterfinal games as the No. 7 seed. They won all games by two points – beating East Central, 76-74, in double overtime in 2019 and Harding, 74-72, in 2020. Following the off day Arkansas Tech will face the winner of Friday’s contest between Harding and Northwestern Oklahoma State in Saturday’s second semifinal, scheduled for an 8:00 PM tip. Tech split its two regular-season contests with both the Lady Bisons and Rangers.