FORT SMITH, Arkansas – Southeastern Oklahoma State defeated top-seeded Harding and Northwestern Oklahoma State held off Arkansas Tech in the semifinals of the 2026 Great American Conference Women’s Basketball Championships on Saturday from Northside Grizzly Arena.
The Rangers (21-9) made program history by advancing to their first GAC Championship final in program history with the 61-58 win. They become the eighth GAC school to play in the title contest and the first new school to appear in the final since Henderson State in 2024.
The Golden Suns (19-9) jumped out to a 20-10 first-quarter advantage, thanks in part to three 3-point field goals. The Rangers pulled to within five, 32-27 at halftime. In the third quarter, Kira Bass, the unanimous GAC Player of the Year scored 12 of her game-high 24 points and the Rangers outscored the Golden Suns by eight to carry a 50-47 lead into the fourth quarter.
In the fourth quarter, Tech twice drew even, but the Rangers never surrendered the lead. They went on a 9-2 run over a span of 4:16 to lead 61-54. Despite not scoring over the final 3:05, the Rangers dodged game-tying 3-point attempts from AbbiGrace Cunningham and Shalyn Lyle to claim the win.
Bass recorded her 13th double-double of the season as she added 13 rebounds. Additionally, she blocked a career-high seven shots. Catyn Graham scored 10 points, made two 3-pointers and collected four steals.
Jadah Pickens paced Tech with 18 points. Logan Young added 13. The loss represented the final game for head coach Dave Wilbers. As part of his time as the Golden Suns head coach, his teams won three GAC Championships and they made nine NCAA Tournament appearances, including two Elite Eights.
Saturday’s opening contest featured a rematch of the 2025 GAC Championship. The Savage Storm (18-12) enacted a measure of revenge on the Lady Bisons (24-6) they held off the reigning champions, 67-64. The tandem of Kenzli Warden and Tori Kilburn scored 38 points - including 22 of Southeastern’s 33 second-half points. Kilburn matched her career high with 16 rebounds.
The Savage Storm opened with a 9-0 lead on three 3-pointers within the game’s first three minutes. Harding answered within the quarter and took a 17-16 lead late in the period. Southeastern reestablished control in the second quarter, outsourcing Harding by eight points to carry a 34-25 lead into the break. The Lady Bisons made just 4-of-18 shots in the quarter.
The third quarter saw Southeastern extend its lead to as large as 14 thanks to seven points from Warden and two 3-pointers from Katelynn Allen. The lead remained at at least six points until the Lady Bisons mounted one final charge in the final minute. They scored five points in a single possession to cut the margin to 65-62 when Maddi Holt converted a three-point play off of a Kennedy Stout missed free throw on a three-point-play attempt of her own.
On the ensuing offensive trip, the Savage Storm meticulously worked the shot clock down to less than five seconds for Warden made a short jump shot to restore a two-possession lead. Harding’s Kori Sanders answered with her own basket. After two missed Savage Storm free throws, Sanders missed a game-tying 3-pointer in the waning seconds.
Saturday’s results set up a first-ever GAC Championship meeting between the Rangers and Savage Storm. Northwestern Oklahoma State won both regular-season meetings. The Rangers’ 74-64 home win on February 16 accounts for the Savage Storm’s only loss since January 17, a span of 14 games. The contest has a scheduled tip time of 3:30 p.m.