It will be a clash of nationally-ranked teams when Arkansas Tech University visits Drury University in non-conference women’s basketball on Tuesday, Dec. 15.
The start time and game environment will be far from routine. Drury scheduled tip-off for 11 a.m. so that it could invite 1,600 elementary students from 15 area schools to attend the game.
It will be the first meeting between the two programs since Dec. 29, 2002.
#19 Arkansas Tech Golden Suns (6-1) at #4 Drury Lady Panthers (8-0)
When: Tuesday, Dec. 15, 11 a.m.
Where: O’Reilly Family Event Center, Springfield, Mo.
Radio/Internet: KCJC 102.3 FM/www.arkansastechsports.com
Series: Tech leads 3-0
About the Golden Suns: Arkansas Tech ranks fifth in NCAA Division II in scoring offense (86.1 points per game). Senior forward Fatima Adams contributes 22.1 points per contest, sixth-most in NCAA Division II. The Golden Suns will try for their first win over a team ranked in the top five in the nation since March 14, 2011, when they defeated nationally fourth-ranked Delta State University 85-77 in the NCAA Division II Tournament South Regional championship game. Arkansas Tech has not won a road game over a top-five team since Jan. 6, 2007, when it defeated No. 1-ranked Henderson State University 72-55 in Arkadelphia.
About the Lady Panthers: Drury leads NCAA Division II women’s basketball in field goal percentage (52.2 percent) and 3-point field goal percentage (47.7 percent) this season. The Lady Panthers have won their first eight games of 2015-16 by an average margin of 21.2 points per game. Each of their wins has come by nine points or more. Senior guard Annie Armstrong (15.0 points per game) and junior guard Alice Heinzler (14.3 points per game) are Drury’s leading scorers. They have combined to make 49-of-84 shots (58.3 percent) from 3-point range this season.
