Golden Suns Win Big on Senior Night

The final home game of the season was free from stress for Arkansas Tech University’s nationally 19th-ranked women’s basketball team.

The Golden Suns blitzed the University of Arkansas-Monticello 86-41 on Thursday night to send their six seniors — Danielle Frachiseur, Katrina Hayden, Kelsey McClure, Anissa Pounds, Calli White and Brianna Williams — out with a victory in their final game at Tucker Coliseum in Russellville.

This one was decided at halftime. Tech (19-4 overall, 15-4 GAC) led 50-19 at the intermission after it made 17-of-29 field goal tries and 8-of-12 attempts from 3-point range over the opening 20 minutes. The Suns scored 23 first-half points off 13 UAM turnovers.

Any ounce of remaining doubt was erased when Tech made six of its first seven field goal tries to begin the third quarter. The Suns led 65-29 at the end of three periods and by as many as 47 points.

Pounds scored 22 points and dished out seven assists. White had 12 points on 4-of-4 shooting from 3-point range. She also had three assists and three steals. Williams and Taylor Ely added 10 points apiece for the Golden Suns, who completed the home portion of their 2016-17 season with a 12-2 mark at Tucker Coliseum.

Tech shot a season-best 60.4 percent from the field (32-of-53) and a season-best 56.3 percent from beyond the 3-point arc (9-of-16).

Lacy Alford scored 10 ponts for the Cotton Blossoms (11-12, 8-11).

The Golden Suns will begin a string of three consecutive road games to conclude the 2016-17 regular season when they face the Henderson State University Reddies at the Duke Wells Center in Arkadelphia on Saturday, Feb. 18. Tip-off is set for 1 p.m.

Radio station KCJC 102.3 FM and www.arkansastechsports.com will provide live coverage.