Nighthawks earn road victory in Oklahoma

BROKEN ARROW, Okla. — National Park College’s women’s basketball team picked up its second consecutive win Thursday, 79-56, against Rhema Bible College.

The game was rescheduled after it was postponed from Dec. 8. National Park College (3-5) went into the holiday break with a 62-53 home victory against Jackson State Community College.

The Nighthawks never trailed in the game and were paced by six points in the opening quarter by sophomore Faith Bratton, of Jessieville. They held the Eagles to zero 3-pointers in the first half en route to a 35-22 halftime lead.

Sophomore Hailee Crosby, of Mountain Pine, led the Nighthawks with 22 points in the second half. The transfer from Ouachita Baptist drained six treys in the final two quarters.

Crosby led the Nighthawks with 30 points, including 8-for-11 shooting from behind the 3-point line. Bratton finished with 23 points and 11 rebounds, while sophomore Laney Wallace, of Malvern, added 13 points.

Both of National Park College’s men’s and women’s teams will return to action today against North Arkansas College in Harrison. The women’s game is scheduled for a noon tip with the men to follow at 2 p.m.

Missouri powers past Arkansas women’s team

COLUMBIA, Mo. — Missouri scored 48 points in the paint Thursday, including 28 in the first half, and dominated the glass, 45-28, en route to a 71-53 win against Arkansas at Mizzou Arena.

The Tigers (14-3, 3-0 Southeastern Conference) were 10 of 22 on

3-pointers four days earlier in a

66-64 upset of Tennessee (12-3, 1-2) in Knoxville, Tenn. They shot 50 percent from the field on Thursday and held the Razorbacks (12-5, 1-2) to 30-percent shooting.

Arkansas was one of the best teams in the nation at getting to the free throw line going into the game. The Razorbacks only attempted seven free throws in the game and none in the second half.

Missouri led 34-14 at halftime. The win extended the team’s winning streak to a season-high six games.

The Tigers turned the ball over

17 times, but the Razorbacks only scored eight points off of them. Chelsea Dungee was Arkansas’ leading scorer with 15 points, but she made only 4 of 17 shots from the floor. She was 4-for-4 at the free throw line.

Arkansas returns home to Bud Walton Arena on Sunday at 2 p.m. to meet Vanderbilt (5-11, 0-3).

Late burst sends Lady Bisons past Oklahoma Baptist

SEARCY — Harding scored the final three points of the third quarter and first six of the fourth to pull away from Oklahoma Baptist for a

75-65 Great American Conference victory Thursday at the RhodesReaves Field House.

Harding (8-4, 4-3) won its 12th straight game at home dating to last season. Oklahoma Baptist (6-7,

2-5) lost for the fifth straight time in Searcy.

Junior forward Cheyenne Brown returned to Harding’s lineup after missing the last four games with an injured hand and led the Lady Bisons with 17 points. Kennedy Cooper had 16 points and seven rebounds, and Kellie Lampo added 13 points.

Harding’s next game is today at home at 1 p.m. against Southern Nazarene (5-8, 4-3), which defeated Arkansas Tech (5-8, 2-5), 68-54, on Thursday.

Bell’s big night not enough for SAU at East Central

MAGNOLIA — Southern Arkansas’ women’s basketball team dropped its first home game of the calendar year Thursday despite 17 points from Watson Chapel freshman forward Jerica Bell.

Bell has scored 17 or more points in three straight games. She was 7-for-13 from the field and 3-for3 on free throws with five rebounds.

Freshman guard Ariana Guinn, of Hot Springs, was the next-highest scorer with eight points in 12 minutes. She was 3-for-4 from the field and 2-for-4 on free throws.

Southern Arkansas (1-12, 0-7) remains winless in the Great American Conference this season after the loss to East Central (10-3, 5-2). The Muleriders will be at home today at 1 p.m. against Southeastern Oklahoma State (8-4, 6-2).

UAM struggles continue against Southeastern

MONTICELLO — Arkansas-Monticello fell, 74-41, on Thursday in a home game against Southeastern Oklahoma State.

Southeastern (8-4, 6-2 Great American Conference) led, 42-15, at halftime with 11 points off of turnovers. Mackenzie Johnson led Monticello (4-8, 3-4) with five points in the first half.

The Savage Storm continued its dominance in the second half, shooting 11-for-24, 45.8 percent, from the field. The Cotton Blossoms did outscore the guests, 14-10, in the paint in the second half.

Junior transfer Berniezha Tidwell, of Hot Springs, led the Blossoms with 14 points and six rebounds.

Monticello will host East Central (10-3, 5-2) today at 1 p.m.

Wyrick paces LHJH girls to road win against Bryant

BRYANT — Lake Hamilton freshman Hayleigh Wyrick led the junior Lady Wolves with 24 points, including 19 in the second half, Thursday to lead the team to a 40-36 win on the road at Bryant.

The score was tied, 17-17, at halftime, but Wyrick led Lake Hamilton

(12-5, 2-1 Central Arkansas Junior High Conference) to a 24-19 advantage in the second half. Ginny Higginbotham added 10 points for the junior Lady Wolves.

Coach Maribeth Richards said free throws were crucial in the game. Lake Hamilton shot 11-for14, while Bryant only made 6 of 14 attempts.

“We struggled at times in the first half to hit some field goals when we were getting open looks, but I think our effort on the defensive end really helped us out on the offensive end,” Richards said.

“Bryant did a good job defensively on us, but I think my guards did a good job handling their pressure in the second half,” Richards added.

Paris Atkins led Bryant with 13 points.

“I was really proud of Devin Humphries tonight,” Richards said. “She’s one that doesn’t get a lot of recognition because she doesn’t score a lot of points, but she does a great job defensively for us. She has such long arms and makes it so tough for the opposing team to shoot over her in the lane. She also does a really good job rebounding consistently for us.

“Tonight, she did that too. She even attempted to take a couple of charges. For a post girl to even attempt to take a charge is a big deal to me. We talk about in practice that it is the little things that help win a ball game, and tonight, Devin did a lot of little things that made a huge difference for us to come out with a win.”

Lake Hamilton is scheduled to host Conway White on Monday at Wolf Arena.

Boys

Lake Hamilton’s junior boys overcame a 13-point deficit in the fourth quarter on Thursday to force overtime, but Bryant earned a 58-53 home win.

Cade Robinson hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer to send the game into overtime. Robinson and Zac Pennington each finished with eight points.

Hayden McDougal was the leading scorer with 13 points. Gavin Robbins and Ethan Watson each added 10 points.