Bison Women’s Basketball return home against Harding and Arkansas Tech

SHAWNEE – OBU Women's Basketball hosts Harding for some Thursday night action and Arkansas Tech for Saturday afternoon play.
 
The women of Oklahoma Baptist Basketball return to action in Noble Complex for a pair of weekend matchups against the top team in the GAC, Harding and the bottom seed of the conference, Arkansas Tech. 
 
Oklahoma Baptist Notes

• The Bison make their way back to Noble after splitting the most recent week of action on the road in Arkansas. The green and gold opened up the weekend at SAU, ending in a tough two-point loss at 58-56 to close out the evening. The most recent matchup for OBU finished in the form of a 71-62 win over Arkansas-Monticello after an electric fourth quarter comeback for the Bison. 
• In the most recent game for OBU, Parker Stevenson had her best performance yet this season, making her presence known in Steelman Fieldhouse. Stevenson led the Bison in scoring with 18 points on the evening, shooting 7-10 from the field and 4-7 from the three. The sophomore totaled six rebounds, two assists and two steals on the night as well.
• Jill Leslie started off the week strong with four blocks in the game against SAU. Leslie also contributed four rebounds and two steals in the head-to-head with Southern Arkansas. Leslie is ranked fourth in the GAC in blocked shots.
• OBU ranks third offensively, defensively and marginally. The Bison are first in threes made at 184 for an average of 9.2 per game and blocked shots with 90 total, averaging 4.50. The green and gold are second in the league in team free throw percentage at 80.3%.
• Mackenzie Crusoe remains third in the league in scoring, sixth in free throw percentage, fifth in assists. Payten Conde is ranked third in the conference in percentage from the three while Katelyn Davis sits in sixth. Davis and Crusoe place eighth and ninth in threes per game. Sierra Copeland ranks sixth in the league in blocked shots.

Harding Notes

• Harding just squeaked past Southwestern Oklahoma 59-56 on Feb. 1 bringing their overall record to 16-4 and their conference mark to 12-2. 
• The two conference losses this season saw Harding fall to Northwestern (63-61) and Southeastern (62-49).
• Playing clean basketball HU turns the ball over less than 11 times a game to lead the nation statically.  
• However, on the other end, Harding struggles to cause turnovers. They sit last in the GAC forcing only 11 per game. 
• One of the best teams at the line, Harding is first in free throws made in the nation (17.7) but falls in third in team free throw percentage in the league, just below Oklahoma Baptist and Southeastern. Aubrey Isbell leads Harding at 88% from the line, ranking first in the GAC and 16^th nationally. 
• With outstanding perimeter defense, HU opponents only shoot 23 percent from three. This gives Harding the sixth-best three-point defense in the nation. 
• HU scores 71 points per game putting them first in the GAC rankings.
• Doing most of their work in the paint Harding only shoots 4 threes a game, the lowest in the conference. 
• Winning GAC defensive player of the week last week, Sage Hawley is second in blocks per game at two. Additionally, Hawley leads the conference in points (17.8) and rebounds (9.7). Totaling 355 points on the season, Hawley is 49.8% from the field, 33.3% from the three at 3-9 and 76.3% from the line. #24 for Harding has also compiled 38 assists, 16 steals and 41 total blocks.
• Rory Greer is another key contributor for Harding with 237 total points on the season, shooting 49.7% from the field, 66.7% from the three and 74.2% from the line. HU has amassed 173 rebounds, 26 assists, 21 steals and two blocks. 

Arkansas Tech Notes

• Arkansas Tech finally snapped an 11-game losing streak against Northwestern Oklahoma 64-51 on Feb. 1, earning their second win of conference play and their fourth of the entire season. The Golden Suns are officially 4-14 over and 2-12 in conference play prior to their Thursday night meeting with Southern Nazarene.
• With difficulties on both ends of the court Ark. Tech has the worst point differential in the GAC only scoring 62 points per game but allowing 68. 
• The Golden Suns have dominated the paint with 4.0 blocks per game and 39.0 rebounds per game, both good for second in the conference. 
• Individually, Julie Wagner ranks top five in total rebounds (135) and rebounds per game (7.5) in the GAC
• On her own, Olivia Jones has made 33 three-point shots, good enough for fourth in the conference. Jones has totaled 179 points on the season going 37.7% from the field, 36.3% from the three and 63.4% from the line. #25 has compiled 52 rebounds, 41 assists, 20 steals and six blocks. 
• AbbiGrace Cunningham is a leading lady for the Golden Suns with 194 points on the season to average 10.8 per game. Cunningham is 43.2% from the field, 36% from the three-point line and 72.5% from the charity stripe. #33 is totaling 100 rebounds, 21 assists, nine steals and eight blocks. 
• Ark. Tech is 2nd in the GAC in free throw attempts at an astounding 18.06 per game.
• However, the Golden Suns struggle to convert on these attempts at 65.8% from the line for 11th in the GAC. 
• ATU is struggling from beyond the arc this season at only 26.9%, placing last in the GAC. 
• Amidst a trying season, the Golden Suns bench has been a bright spot adding 20.8 points per game top three in the GAC.