STRONG FOURTH QUARTER SENDS HARDING TO #theGAC SEMIFINALS
Courtesy HardingSports.com
SHAWNEE, Okla. – Aubrey Isbell and Josie Williams both scored 18 points and a strong fourth quarter lifted No. 2 seed Harding to a 73-56 victory over No. 7 seed Ouachita Baptist on Thursday in the quarterfinals of the Great American Conference Tournament at FireLake Arena.
Harding (25-4) advances to meet the winner of No. 3 seed Northwestern Oklahoma and No. 6 seed Southwestern Oklahoma on Saturday at 8 p.m. It is the fifth time in program history that Harding has reached 25 wins in a season. Ouachita Baptist finished 11-16.
Harding led 39-25 at halftime, and Isbell made a layup with 4:57 left in the third quarter to give Harding a 50-33 lead. Ouachita scored the next 13 points and trimmed Harding's lead all the way to four points before Sage Hawley hit a jumper from the right baseline to give the Lady Bisons a 52-46 lead early in the fourth quarter.
Harding's defense held Ouachita to only one basket in the fourth quarter and outscored the Tigers 23-12 in the period to build its lead again. Harding shot 9-of-16 in the quarter, and Hawley scored 10 of her 15 points in the period.
Isbell made 2-of-3 3-pointers and all eight of her free throw attempts. Williams made six of Harding's 10 3-pointers, the most ever by a Lady Bison in a GAC Tournament game.
Isbell scored five of Harding's points during a 7-0 run late in the first quarter, and the Lady Bisons held the Tigers to only 23% shooting to lead 18-10 after one period.
Isbell scored Harding's first seven points of the second quarter, and Williams hit a 3-pointer with 3:47 left to give the Lady Bisons a 28-20 lead. Williams hit another 3-pointer with 1:22 remaining as part of a 9-1 run that gave Harding a 14-point lead.
Harding shot 42% from the field and 81% from the free-throw line. Harding's reserves outscored Ouachita's non-starters 27-5.