ARKADELPHIA – The Ouachita Baptist University women's basketball team earned its first Great American Conference win of the season on Saturday afternoon at home in a 93-83 victory over Southern Arkansas University.
The Tigers (4-3, 1-2 GAC) dominated the early going, opening up the game on an 8-0 run in the first two and a half minutes. However, SAU (2-5, 0-3 GAC) responded with an 8-0 run of its own to tie the game midway through the first period. Ouachita held the Muleriders to just four points in the rest of the period, while running up to a 17-point lead of 29-12 heading into the second.
The second period went back-and-forth with Ouachita's big run to the end first enough to keep the Tigers up comfortably heading into halftime with a 57-38 lead.
Although SAU outscored Ouachita in the third period, the Tigers reached their largest lead of 24 with 2:47 remaining in the frame. However, the Tigers were held scoreless for nearly five minutes from the final two and half minutes of the third period into the first two and half minutes of the fourth to allow the Muleriders to climb back in the game. SAU trimmed its deficit down to five at the 7:57 mark of the fourth.
Laney Mears hit a three to snap the scoreless skid, which sparked the rest of the team. The Tigers got back up by double digits with 5:47 remaining and held at least an eight point lead the rest of the way thanks to free throws from
Makayla Miller, another three by Mears, and a pair of layups from
Madeleine Tipton.
Miller posted season highs in nearly every offensive category, and turned in a career-high 27 points, to go along with nine rebounds, five steals and four assists.
Grayson Fairless and Tipton each posted a double-double in the win. Fairless had 14 points and 10 rebounds. Tipton finished with 13 and 10.
Heidi Robinson and
Abbey Harrison each scored 10 points off the bench.
The Tigers close out the 2022 portion of the schedule next Saturday, December 17 on the road against Arkansas-Monticello. Tipoff is set for 1 p.m.
