BASKETBALL
Arkansas Tech men steady in victory
Arkansas Tech University (20-6, 16-4 Great American Conference) shot 43% from the floor, including 41.7% from the three-point line, in a 70-63 victory over Northwestern Oklahoma State (15-11, 13-7) on Saturday in Alva, Okla.
The Wonder Boys led 34-32 at halftime, then outscored the Rangers 36-31 in the second half to pull away. Northwestern was held to 38.5% shooing from the floor and 38.9% from the three-point line. Neither team shot well from the free-throw line, with Arkansas Tech shooting 66.7% (12 of 18) and Northwestern shot 61.5% (16 of 26).
Taelon Peter led the Wonder Boys with 28 points, while Cassius Brooks chipped in with 16. Cam McDowell led the Rangers with 22 points and Chance Love added 10.
In other Great American Conference men's games Saturday, Carel Ray Jr. scored a game-high 38 points for Southern Arkansas University (10-16, 8-12) in a 78-72 loss to Southern Nazarene (13-12, 10-10) in Bethany, Okla. ... Harding University (12-14, 9-11) outscored Southwestern Oklahoma State (9-16, 9-11) 37-34 in the second half to force overtime, but the Bisons were outscored 11-8 in overtime to fall 80-77 in Weatherford, Okla. Sam Smith led Harding with 22 points and Brahm Harris added 13 off the bench. ... Isaac Jackson and Zane Nelson scored 16 points each for the University of Arkansas-Monticello (11-14, 9-11) in a 66-61 loss to Oklahoma Baptist (11-15, 8-12) in Shawnee, Okla. ... Zyon Patterson led Henderson State University (8-17, 7-13) with 20 points in a 93-68 loss to Southeastern Oklahoma State (21-7, 17-3) in Durant, Okla. ... Four Ouachita Baptist University (8-17, 6-14) players scored 10 or more points, led by Tylar Haynes with 15, in a 76-69 loss to East Central (Okla.) (12-14, 8-12) in Ada, Okla.
HSU women cruise to victory
The Henderson State University women (17-9, 13-7 Great American Conference) outscored Southeastern Oklahoma State 39-24 in the first half Saturday, including 21-12 in the first quarter, to earn a 75-66 victory at Bloomer Sullivan Arena in Durant, Okla.
The Reddies shot 43.8% from the floor in the first quarter and 50% in the second quarter. HSU outrebounded Southeastern 41-37 despite being outscored in the lane 28-20, but the Reddies turned 12 Savage Storm turnovers into 17 points.
Olivia Allen led Henderson State with 17 points, while Brynlee Huggins poured in 16 and Tori Gittens helped out with 14. Kenzli Warden led Southeastern with 16 points and Caitlin Kobiske chipped in with 13.
In other Great American Conference women's games Saturday, Qua Chambers scored 17 points and Addy Tremie chipped in with 11 as Southern Arkansas University (13-13, 8-12) fell to Southern Nazarene (25-1, 19-1) 72-57 in Bethany, Okla. ... Josie Williams was the only Harding University (22-4, 17-3) player with 10 or more points, finishing with 12 in a 54-51 loss to Southwestern Oklahoma State (13-13, 10-10) in Weatherford, Okla. ... Laney Mears led Ouachita Baptist University (9-15, 7-13) with 15 points in a 61-48 loss to East Central (Okla.) (8-16, 4-16) in Ada, Okla. ... Alex Hill had 13 points, Maisa Marcal added 12 and Dana Thompson chipped in with 10 for Arkansas Tech University (12-12, 9-11) in a 67-64 loss to Northwestern Oklahoma State (23-5, 15-5) in Alva, Okla. ... The University of Arkansas-Monticello (8-18, 4-16) trailed 15-9 at the end of the first quarter, but outscored Oklahoma Baptist (11-15, 8-12) in the last three quarters of a 61-60 loss in Shawnee, Okla. Haleigh Crews led UAM with 13 points.
BASEBALL
Williams Baptist sweeps doubleheader
Skylar Morrison hit a combined three home runs on Saturday as Willliams Baptist University swept a doubleheader from Trinity Christian, winning 9-3 and 7-3 in Walnut Ridge.
The Eagles got off to a hot start in the first game, taking a 2-0 lead in the first inning on an RBI single from Nick Jones and an RBI double from Lawson Aaron. Gavin Mink hit a two-run home run in the second inning and Aaron added a three run shot to make it 7-0. Morrison's first home run was a solo shot in the bottom of the third and Jacob Watkins added an RBI double in the fifth.
Morrison's second home run was a solo shot in the second inning of the second game. He then hit a three-run home run to left-center field in the third inning to put Williams Baptist ahead 7-1.
BOWLING
ASU women in second place
The Arkansas State University women's team went 5-0 Saturday and enters today's bracket play second among 18 teams at the Stallings Invitational in Greensboro, N.C.
Arkansas State began the day with a 993-956 victory over Nebraska, then followed that with the third-highest traditional match total of the season with a 1,149-514 victory over Florida A&M. The Red Wolves closed the day with victories over Mount St. Mary's (1,023-1,011), Lincoln Memorial (1,011-997) and Alabama-Birmingham (956-819).
Jacksonville State leads the event with 10,324 total pins with ASU right behind at 10,289. Host North Carolina A&T is third (10,238) and Vanderbilt (10,166) is fourth. The Red Wolves will close the event with three Baker best-of-seven bracket matches.
-- Democrat-Gazette Press Services