Their legs might be weary and their competitive juices might be running low, but the basketball teams from Arkansas Tech University and Harding University will try to dig deep and grind out wins during a Great American Conference doubleheader on Monday, Jan. 23.
Game times at Tucker Coliseum in Russellville are set for 5:30 p.m. (women) and 7:30 p.m. (men).
Tickets will be available at the door. Those with a valid Arkansas Tech identification card will be admitted free of charge.
Monday’s games will mark the third GAC doubleheader in five days for both Arkansas Tech and Harding. Tech hosted Southeastern Oklahoma State on Thursday and visited Henderson State on Saturday, while Harding traveled Ouachita Baptist on Thursday and hosted Southeastern Oklahoma State on Saturday.
Arkansas Tech’s women are coming off what head coach Dave Wilbers called the Golden Suns’ best performance of the season so far.
The Suns used a combination of defense and rebounding to defeat Henderson State 80-63 on Saturday.
Tech finished with a 46-30 rebounding edge and the Suns held HSU to 38 percent shooting from the field. It was the first conference loss and the first home loss of the season for the Lady Reddies.
Arkansas Tech is 11-2 overall and 3-2 in the GAC. The Golden Suns have won 42 consecutive home games, the longest active home winning streak in NCAA Division II women’s basketball.
The Lady Bisons are 10-5 overall and 3-2 in conference. Harding stopped a two-game losing streak with a 60-56 win over Southeastern Oklahoma State on Saturday.
Arkansas Tech and Harding developed a strong rivalry in men’s basketball during their final four years in the Gulf South Conference. The Bisons eliminated the Wonder Boys from the 2008 GSC Tournament. Arkansas Tech returned the favor with a victory over Harding in the 2009 GSC Tournament semifinals.
That win was the first of five straight for the Wonder Boys over the Bisons, including a 72-71 overtime win in Searcy on February 24, 2011, that clinched the GSC West Division title for Arkansas Tech.
Harding got its revenge by defeating the Wonder Boys 80-61 in last year’s GSC Tournament championship game.
Arkansas Tech enters the first GAC meeting between the two sides with 11-4 overall record, while Harding is 8-7 overall. Both men’s teams are 3-2 in GAC play, which puts them in a tie for fourth place in the league standings one game behind GAC leaders Arkansas-Monticello, Henderson State and Ouachita Baptist.
Monday’s games will be broadcast by KWKK 100.9 FM.
Click here to access an Internet stream of the broadcast.
Click here to learn more about Arkansas Tech Athletics.
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