Arkansas Tech University will play in the women’s Great American Conference Tournament championship game for a fourth consecutive year.
Cheyenne North scored a career-high 35 points to lead the Golden Suns to a 78-67 win over Henderson State University in the semifinal round at Bruin Fieldhouse in Bartlesville, Okla., on Saturday night.
With the win, Arkansas Tech (25-3) advances to face fourth-seeded Harding University (18-14) in the GAC Tournament championship game at 3:30 p.m. Sunday. The winner of the title game will receive an automatic bid to the NCAA Division II Tournament, which begins on Friday.
Radio station KCJC 102.3 FM and www.arkansastechsports.com will have live coverage of the GAC Tournament title contest.
A senior forward from Gallatin, Tenn., North was 14-of-20 from the field on Saturday. She added 11 rebounds for her 11th career double-double. The first team All-GAC pick also contributed five assists, five steals and four blocked shots.
“That’s a senior playing her final few games,” said Dave Wilbers, ATU head coach, when asked about North. “She has a will to win, and we’ve seen it all year. Her offensive stats were good tonight, but her defense was great.”
Arkansas Tech made eight of its first 11 field goal tries and built a 19-8 advantage at the 5:12 mark of the first period, only to watch Henderson State rattle off 12 unanswered points for its first lead of the night. The Reddies held a 23-21 edge at the end of one period.
Neither side could extend a lead beyond four points during the second quarter. Arkansas Tech scored the final six points of the half on a pair of North jumpers and a Kylie Ladd layup to inch in front 40-36 at the intermission.
The see-saw titled in the Reddies’ favor during the third period, and they went to the final 10 minutes ahead 56-54.
The Golden Suns seized the lead for good by scoring the first seven points of the fourth quarter on back-to-back baskets by North and a Jacie Higgins 3-pointer.
Tech led 61-56 with 8:09 left in the game and proceeded to force the Reddies to miss six of their first eight field goal attempts in the final period. Henderson State committed five turnovers during that same time frame, helping the Golden Suns go on a clinching 7-1 spurt that made it 76-63 with 1:06 remaining.
Arkansas Tech was 8-of-13 from the field during the fourth quarter, including 3-of-4 from beyond the 3-point arc.
Ladd and Ke’Vonshaye Stackhouse notched 13 points apiece for Tech, which will play in an NCAA Division II conference tournament championship game for the 15th time in the last 21 years.
Blu Jones had a team-high 17 points for the Reddies, who completed their season 21-9 overall.
