[February 23, 2008]

By: Houston Taylor

MAGNOLIA, Ark. – It was a long time coming, as Southern Arkansas picked up their first Gulf South Conference win of the season and snapped a 15-game losing streak with a 53-49 win over Ouachita Baptist Saturday at the W.T. Watson Athletic Center. The Lady Muleriders hadn’t won since a 69-57 defeat of Paul Quinn (Texas) on December 1 at the Arkansas-Monticello Mary Jane Gilbert Classic.

Goldie White provided the punch for the Lady Muleriders (5-19, 1-11 GSC), scoring over half their total points in finishing with 28. SAU overcame a 12-point first half deficit in a game that featured seven ties and four lead changes.

The Lady Tigers (5-20, 2-10 GSC) used their 12-point lead to eventually hold a 34-23 advantage at the break. Southern Arkansas made its move immediately in the second frame, when trailing 36-25 at 19:06, they rattled off a 15-1 run for a 40-37 edge at 12:27. Nip and tuck from there, OBU never led by more than two the rest of the way, the last, 47-45, at 3:34 on Gabby Coleman’s lay-up. White gave the game its seventh tie seconds later with two free throws and then put the Lady Muleriders ahead for good at 1:50 on a jumper for a 49-47 advantage. Her jumper at 0:32 made it a four-point game, but a Ouachita Baptist lay-up cut it back to two. Immediately fouling, Shardae Thompson iced the win at the free throw line for the final margin with 15 ticks remaining.

With SAU holding a 6-4 edge at 14:09 in the first, the Lady Tigers used an 18-4 spree for a 22-10 lead at 7:59. Southern Arkansas got back to within 24-20 on Thompson’s three-pointer at 5:20, but OBU used a 10-3 run to set the margin at the half.

White was 9 of 23 from the floor and hit 10 of 11 free throws in racking up her 28 points. She also pulled down a team-high eight rebounds, had two assists, and two steals. White got help from Thompson, who finished with 12 points and seven boards.

Neither team shot well, the Lady Muleriders hitting 19 of 52 from the field for 36.5 percent, including 3 of 14 (21.4) from beyond the arc, but they converted 12 of 14 (85.7) free throws. Ouachita Baptist was 19 of 51 (37.3), 2 of 11 (18.2), and 9 of 12 (75.0).

The Lady Tigers scored only 15 second half points, shooting just 7 of 26 (26.9) from the floor, missing both three-point attempts, and getting one of two freebies.

Coleman led OBU, posting 17 points. Haley Griffin added 12 points, and Candise Hurdle grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds.

SAU committed just nine turnovers, while forcing 13 from their visitors which they converted into 18 points. They were even with 34 rebounds apiece.

Southern Arkansas travels to Searcy to face Harding on Thursday, before hosting Arkansas-Monticello next Saturday in their season finale. Both games are 5:30 p.m. tip-offs.

Photos by Aaron Morris, SAU sports information