Bisons maintain GAC lead
Carissa Caples turned in a team-high 17 points to lead a balanced attack for Harding University in its 86-64 victory over Oklahoma Baptist University on Saturday afternoon at RhodesReeves Field House in Searcy.
Jordan Elder and Cheyenne Brown each scored 15 points, while Amanda Kearney and Kennedy Cooper finished with 11 and 10 points, respectively, for the Bison (18-8, 15-5), who jumped out to a 29-9 lead in the first quarter. Harding also scored 24 points off 19 turnovers and had 20 assists on 29 made baskets to win for the 11th time in its past 12 games and remain in first place.
McKenzie Cooper, Ugochinyere Nwarie and Briana Marshall all had nine points for Oklahoma Baptst (5-21, 1-19), which shot just 27% (6 of 22) from beyond the three-point line in dropping its seventh game in a row.
In other Great American Conference games Saturday, Lycia Peevy had 17 points and grabbed 11 rebounds as Arkansas Tech (16-8, 13-7) whipped Southern Nazarene (15-9, 12-8) 66-45 at Tucker Coliseum in Russellville. Kaley Shipman also scored 17 points while Jayana Sanders added 15 for the Golden Suns. Abby Niehues scored 10 points for the Storm. … Berniezha Tidwell poured in 28 points and grabbed 12 for the University of Arkansas at Monticello (17-9, 12-8) in its 62-44 victory over Southeastern Oklahoma State at Steelman Fieldhouse in Monticello. Kamryn Cantwell had 11 points and Katie Webb finished with nine points and 10 rebounds for the visiting Savage Storm. … Four players had 10 or more points for Henderson State University (18-8, 13-7) in its 81-62 blowout over Northwestern Oklahoma State (12-14, 8-12) at the Duke Wells Center in Arkadelphia. Maci Mains had 19 points to lead the Reddies. Lani Snowden followed with 14 points, Hailey Estes scored 12 points and Karrington Whaley chimed in with 10. Kalea Kings turned in a gamehigh 24 points and Bailey Brown tossed in 20 for the Lady Rangers. … Sam Schwab’s 20 points and 12 rebounds paced East Central (Okla.) (9-17, 7-13) past Southern Arkansas University (16-10, 10-10) 82-77 at the W.T. Watson Athletic Center in Magnolia. Kendall Schulte scored 19 points, Madison Rehl had 16 points and Madison Nickens added 14 points for the Tigers, who were outscored 50-3 in bench points but hit 18 of 24 free throws in the second half to win. Diamond Morris scored 22 points for the Muleriders.
Lyon women earn No. 1 seed
Liz Henderson pumped in a career-high 32 points at Lyon College cruised past Park 79-52 on Saturday at the Breckon Sports Center in Parkville, Mo.
Henderson hit six three-pointers and finished 12-of-17 shooting for the Scots (25-2, 21-1), who clinched the top seed in the upcoming American Midwest Conference tournament. Jade Giron and Katie Turner had 12 points for Lyon while Madison Riley ended with 11.
Scots come up short on the road
Hunter Daley scored 12 points and Dominique Loyd had 10 for Lyon College (17-11, 12-8) in its 59-46 loss to Park (2-6, 15-6) in American Midwest Conference play on Saturday at the Breckon Sports Center in Parkville, Mo.
Faris Verlasevic added 9 points for the Scots, who hit just 6 of their 23 shots in the first half to put themselves in a 24-15 hole at halftime. Lyon rallied in the second before running out of steam.