ECU Tigers (10-4, 6-2 GAC) at #15 Arkansas Tech Golden Suns (13-1, 8-0 GAC) When: Saturday, Jan. 17, 1 p.m. Where: Tucker Coliseum, Russellville Radio/Internet: KWKK 100.9 FM/www.arkansastechsports.com Series: Tech leads 9-6 About the Golden Suns: Arkansas Tech ranks among the NCAA Division II women’s basketball national leaders in field goal percentage (6th, .476), rebound margin (7th, +10.9 per game), scoring offense (8th, 80.2 points per game) and steals (15th, 11.8 per game) this season. Junior forward Fatima Adams ranks 14th in the country in scoring (21.0 points per game). The Golden Suns have won five consecutive games, and those victories have come by an average margin of 23.4 points per game. Arkansas Tech is 4-3 against East Central since the beginning of the GAC era in 2011-12. About the Tigers: East Central is in sole possession of third place in the GAC women’s basketball standings, two games behind co-leaders Arkansas Tech and Harding. The key to ECU’s success in 2014-15 has been protecting the basketball. The Tigers average 10.4 turnovers per game, fewest in all of NCAA Division II. East Central dropped a 62-50 decision at Harding on Thursday. Senior forward Dilan Webster leads the Tigers and ranks seventh in the GAC in scoring (14.9 points per game). ECU is 1-6 all-time against Arkansas Tech in Russellville. The Tigers’ lone road win over the Golden Suns came in their first visit — a 74-67 victory on Nov. 29, 1986. ECU Tigers (11-5, 5-3 GAC) at Arkansas Tech Wonder Boys (8-8, 4-4 GAC) When: Saturday, Jan. 17, 3 p.m. Where: Tucker Coliseum, Russellville Radio/Internet: KWKK 100.9 FM/www.arkansastechsports.com Series: Tech leads 13-8 About the Wonder Boys: Arkansas Tech has won five of its six men’s basketball games against East Central since the formation of the GAC. The two sides split their season series a year ago, each winning on the other’s home floor. The Wonder Boys won the most recent meeting, taking a 75-72 decision at East Central on March 1, 2014. Bobby Hatchett made the game-winning 3-pointer with 1.1 seconds remaining as Arkansas Tech clinched the 2013-14 GAC title outright. It was the fifth consecutive regular season conference title for the Wonder Boys, their longest such streak since winning seven consecutive Arkansas Intercollegiate Conference titles from 1949-55. About the Tigers: East Central missed out on a chance to earn a share of first place in the GAC men’s basketball standings when it suffered an 87-80 loss at Harding on Thursday. The Tigers were defeated on the glass and at the free throw line. Harding finished with a 37-27 rebounding edge, and the Bisons made 18-of-33 free throw tosses. Meanwhile, ECU was 7-of-14 at the charity stripe. Stirling Thomas scored 35 points in a losing effort for the Tigers. It was the second-highest single-game scoring output by a GAC men’s basketball player this season. Thomas had 36 points against Henderson State on Nov. 22. He leads the GAC in scoring at 19.5 points per contest.]]>
