Harding women win eighth straight

Harding Athletics
Scott Goode, Assistant Athletic Director for Sports Information

ARKADELPHIA – Harding women’s basketball got off to a great start and controlled the offensive boards to defeat Ouachita Baptist, 69-60, Saturday in Great American Conference action at Vining Arena.

The win was Harding’s eighth straight and are part of a two-way tie for first place in the GAC standings. Harding is 15-7 overall and 12-4 in conference, tied with Southeastern Oklahoma. Arkansas Tech and Southern Nazarene were both part of a four-way tie for first but lost Saturday to fall a game behind.

Ouachita lost its 10th straight and dropped to 4-18 overall and 1-15 in conference.

Harding led 22-11 after one quarter, closing the period on a 9-0 run. The Lady Bisons held the Tigers without a point for the last 6:13 of the quarter.

Harding extended its lead to as many as 17 points in the third quarter, and the Lady Bisons held a double-digit lead throughout much of the game.

Harding had 15 offensive rebounds and outscored Ouachita 23-6 on second-chance points.

Cheyenne Brown made 7 of 13 shots and led Harding in scoring with 15 points. She has scored in double figures in all eight games of Harding’s winning streak. Kennedy Cooper scored 11 points before fouling out, and Carissa Caples added 10. Peyton Padgett had a team-high nine rebounds, and Jordan Elder had six assists.

Ouachita Baptist, who only has seven active players, shot 50% from the field. Eden Crow led the Tigers with 20 points.

Harding hosts Arkansas Tech Thursday at the Rhodes-Reaves Field House.