Higgins, Villines lead Tech to season sweep of SAU
February 10, 2019
MAGNOLIA, Ark. – Jacie Higgins scored 18 points and Hannah Villines scored 17 as the Golden Suns (10-12, 7-9 Great American Conference) toppled Southern Arkansas (2-19, 1-14 GAC), 85-60, on Saturday afternoon at W.T. Watson Center in Magnolia.
NEXT UP
The Golden Suns will return to action on Thursday, Feb. 14, hosting the GAC rematch against Harding. A 5:30 p.m. tip-off is scheduled.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Golden Suns jumped out to a 6-0 lead in the game's first two and a half minutes, four points of which came from Jacie Higgins.
SAU answered back with a basket of their own and the next few minutes saw baskets at both ends, until SAU had reduced the Golden Suns' lead to just a point, 14-13, with 1:15 remaining in the first period.
The Golden Suns then recorded five more points, including a three-pointer by Ke'Vonshaye Stackhouse, to end the period with a 19-13 lead.
SAU quickly cut the lead back down to three with a three-pointer in the first 12 seconds of the second period.
Both teams then recorded baskets at both ends through the next three minutes, and SAU again cut the Tech lead to one point, 21-20.
The Golden Suns extended their lead to five points with a pair of baskets with 7:11 remaining in the half.
But the Lady Muleriders were determined to keep the game close, cutting the Tech lead to three points twice in the next two minutes.
The final five minutes saw more back-and-forth action, as Alicia Mardis chipped in four points and Stackhouse drained another three-pointer. However, they also surrendered four more points before time expired and entered the halftime break leading by nine, 37-28.
The Lady Muleriders had the first basket of the second half, but the Golden Suns recorded the next four points, extending their lead to 41-32 in the first minute of the third period
Neither team scored for the next two minutes. Then Hannah Villines landed an old-fashioned three-point play and Lyrik Williams chipped in a basket, making the Tech lead 46-32 with 6:22 remaining in the period.
The teams then exchanged baskets several times at both ends, with Tech leading 52-40 with 3:11 remaining in the period.
Tech went on an eight-point run, which was ended by three straight free throws by SAU, cutting the Tech lead to 60-43 with a minute left in the third period.
Ke'Vonshaye Stackhouse scored three points to give Tech a 20-point lead, 63-43, to begin the final period of play.
Tech scored the first basket of the fourth period but SAU quickly answered with two free throws.
Lyrik Williams then scored three straight layups, giving Tech a 71-45 lead with 8:04 remaining in regulation. SAU answered with an old-fashioned three-point play.
Tech drained another pair of baskets but so did SAU, giving Tech a 77-52 lead with 4:38 remaining.
The teams again traded baskets at each end, with Tech leading 83-58 when the dust settled.
SAU scored their final basket with 26 seconds remaining, followed closely by Tech's final basket, scored by Holly Crutchfield, with 10 seconds remaining to give the Golden Suns the lead.
NOTABLES
Jacie Higgins led the Golden Suns with 18 points, followed by Hannah Villines who had 17 points and Ke'Vonshaye Stackhouse who chipped in 15 points.
Tech went 36-54 from the field and went 5-16 on three-point attempts.
Villines recorded eight rebounds, the team high, and was second in assists with six. Jayana Sanders led the team with seven assists.
The Golden Suns held the Lady Muleriders to 21-47 from the field and 3-14 in three-point attempts.
Tech outshot SAU 66.7% to 44.7%
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