Arkansas Tech University ended its longest women’s basketball losing streak in five years in thrilling fashion on Thursday night.
Kiara Moses’ 3-pointer with 0.2 seconds remaining in overtime gave the Golden Suns a 68-67 victory over Harding University at Rhodes-Reaves Field House in Searcy.
Arkansas Tech snapped the Lady Bisons’ 13-game home winning streak, a streak that dated back to the Golden Suns’ 77-64 win at Rhodes-Reaves Field House last season.
ATU had lost five consecutive games before Thursday night, its longest losing streak in women’s basketball since 2013-14.
“I’m really proud of the girls,” said Dave Wilbers, ATU head coach. “We did a good job executing offensively, and we were able to crowd their post players and force them to make some decisions. We’ve had some tough games and come up on the short end of some close ones. I maintained a good feeling about this team and its will to win.”
The Golden Suns (6-9 overall, 3-6 Great American Conference) trailed 61-55 with 4:03 left in regulation, but Arkansas Tech scored the final six points of the fourth quarter. Jayana Sanders connected on a 15-foot jumper with 54 seconds remaining that ultimately sent the game to overtime with the score tied 61-61.
Harding’s Kellie Lampo tied it at 65-65 with 28 seconds left in overtime. The Golden Suns ran the clock down on their final possession and Sanders passed to Moses, who drained the decisive trey from the left corner.
Arkansas Tech was called for a technical foul for leaving the bench in celebration with 0.2 seconds remaining. Carissa Caples made both free throws for Harding, but the Lady Bisons’ tip-in try at the buzzer was no good and their more than year-old home winning streak ended.
Hannah Villines finished with 21 points for the Golden Suns. Moses had a career-high 16 points and Ke’Vonshaye Stackhouse added 12 points and eight rebounds.
Lampo had 18 points and 19 rebounds for Harding (10-5, 5-4).
The Lady Bisons out-rebounded ATU 58-37, but Harding committed 30 turnovers and Tech finished with an 18-5 margin in points off turnovers.
The Golden Suns will face Henderson State University for a 1 p.m. GAC contest at the Duke Wells Center in Arkadelphia on Saturday, Jan. 19.
Radio station KCJC 102.3 FM and www.arkansastechsports.com will provide live coverage.
