Suns Win Deep in the Heart of Texas

Arkansas Tech’s Natalia Santos and Jenny Vining scored 15 points apiece in a 68-53 Golden Suns’ victory over St. Edward’s University in Austin, Texas, on Monday night.

Santos and Vining were both 6-of-12 from the field. Santos also grabbed 10 rebounds for her second consecutive double-double, while Jenny Vining made three 3-pointers.

Vining now has 157 career made 3-pointers. She surpassed Carin Pinion (156 from 1990-94) for third on the Golden Suns’ career 3-pointers made list on Monday.

Katie Horsman added 11 points on 4-of-5 shooting from the field as nationally fifth-ranked Arkansas Tech (11-1) completed a season sweep of St. Edward’s. The Suns beat the Hilltoppers 80-57 in Russellville on Dec. 4.

Tech led 30-28 early in the second half before Laura Beth Anderson’s jumper and Vining’s 3-pointer made it 35-28.

Two Santos free throws gave the Suns a 37-28 lead.

St. Edward’s (7-7) got back to within six points with 13:58 left, but Shaquilah Davis connected on a jump shot and Anderson hit a trey to increase Tech’s advantage to 45-34 at the 12:36 mark.

The Suns delivered a decisive 14-4 run over a span of 5:09 late in the second half to put it away. Horsman’s 3-pointer with 4:46 remaining gave Arkansas Tech a 64-44 lead.

The Hilltoppers never got closer than 13 points down the stretch and Arkansas Tech closed out non-conference play with its seventh consecutive win.

Davis finished with eight points for the Golden Suns. Tech’s Samanta Ludwig had six points and five rebounds. Anderson scored five points and made six assists.

Haley Tidwell led St. Edward’s with 14 points.

The Golden Suns will open Gulf South Conference play by visiting Henderson State for a 2 p.m. contest at the Duke Wells Center in Arkadelphia on Saturday, Jan. 8.

That game can be heard on KWKK 100.9 FM in the Arkansas River Valley and at www.athletics.atu.edu.

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