GAC Athletics
Eric Moyer
FORT SMITH, Arkansas – Harding secured the program’s third Great American Conference Women’s Basketball Championship title, a 69-52 win against Southeastern Oklahoma State on Sunday from Southside Arena, thanks to a 16-2 run over the game’s final 4:42.
Sports presented by Indian Nation Wholesale.
The Lady Bisons (25-6) held a 53-50 advantage midway through the fourth quarter. Tournament MVP Sage Hawley scored eight of her team-leading 19 points over the course of the game’s final five minutes. Harding held Southeastern (20-11) to just one field goal in its last eight attempts.
Hawley averaged 21.3 points and 9.7 rebounds over the course of the three GAC Championships. With 11 rebounds against the Savage Storm, she moved into sole possession of fourth place on the NCAA Division II’s career double-double leaderboard with 69.
In the opening quarter, Hawley and Aubrey Isbell combined for 16 points as the Lady Bisons used a 14-2 run to grab a 22-14 lead. Midway through the third quarter, the Savage Storm forged the game’s first tie since 12-12 when they drew level at 37, Harding responded with the final seven points of the quarter to seize a lead it would never relinquish.
Isbell, Rory Geer and Josie Williams joined Hawley on the All-Tournament Team. Isbell made 6-of-9 shots and scored 18 points. Geer registered her second double-double of the tournament, 12 points and 12 rebounds. Williams shot 50.0 percent from the field across the three games.
Caitlin Kobiske and Kenzli Warden represented the Savage Storm on the team. Warden averaged 21.0 points and 9.0 rebounds in the three tournament games. Kobiske scored a game-high 25 on Sunday. Northwestern Oklahoma State’s Carly Craig and Southern Nazarene’s Hannah Giddey filled out the eight-member team.
The Lady Bisons earned the program’s sixth berth to the NCAA Tournament – all since 2014. Harding will learn its opponent and destination during Sunday night’s NCAA Selection show. It streams on NCAA.com at 9:30 p.m. Southern Nazarene entered the week ranked sixth in the Central Region and eyes an at-large bid.
