Arkansas Tech University saved its best shooting performance of the 2017-18 women’s basketball regular season for last.
The Golden Suns shot 63 percent from the field on Saturday and routed the University of Arkansas-Monticello 91-66 at Tucker Coliseum in Russellville to send their two seniors out with a win in their final home game.
There were 12 lead changes and four ties during the first 14-plus minutes of the game. Back-to-back 3-pointers by Ke’Vonshaye Stackhouse gave the Golden Suns the lead for good at 25-22 with 5:22 left before the intermission.
Arkansas Tech (23-3 overall, 19-3 Great American Conference) scored the final five points of the half on a layup by Stackhouse and a 3-point play by Cheyenne North. As a result, the Golden Suns went to the intermission leading 41-32.
The margin reached double figures on layups by Tech’s Lyrik Williams and Jacie Higgins in the first 1:09 of the third quarter, and it only snowballed on the Cotton Blossoms from there.
The Golden Suns made 11 of their first 13 field goal attempts to begin the third quarter, and by the time that 10-minute portion of the game was complete Tech’s lead had ballooned to 71-44.
Arkansas Tech went on to lead by as many as 29 points as it completed a season sweep of the Cotton Blossoms and improved to 51-4 at home over the past four seasons.
Higgins had a career-high 20 points for the Golden Suns. She was 6-of-7 from the field and 7-of-9 at the free throw line.
Stackhouse finished with 17 points on 7-of-7 shooting from the floor, including 3-of-3 from beyond the 3-point arc. Williams notched 14 points and seven rebounds, while Ryann Goodsell contributed 12 points.
It was the final home game for Tech seniors Cheyenne North and McKenzie Morris. North had nine points, seven assists and four rebounds. Morris contributed four points and six rebounds.
Arkansas Tech out-rebounded UAM 39-27 and shot 37-of-59 from the field.
Brittnee Broadway scored a game-high 21 points for the Cotton Blossoms, who completed their season with an overall record of 7-20 and a league mark of 3-19.
The Golden Suns will return to action on Thursday, March 1, with a 2:15 p.m. first-round game at the GAC Tournament in Bartlesville, Okla. Radio station KCJC 102.3 FM and www.arkansastechsports.com will provide live coverage.
