Contact: Houston Taylor
MAGNOLIA, Ark. – Southern Arkansas faced its third nationally ranked team of the season and the result was the same as No. 13 Arkansas Tech ran away with a 92-63 win in Great American Conference play Saturday at the W.T. Watson Athletic Center.
The Lady Muleriders (2-16, 2-6 GAC) had previously dropped a 79-48 opening season decision to then fifth-ranked Delta State (Miss.) and an 80-49 game to then No. 14 Northeastern State (Okla.). The Golden Suns (13-3, 5-3 GAC) held the top spot in the national rankings for the early part of the season before dropping to ninth and then 13th over the past two weeks.
Despite the loss, SAU senior center Kmaria Hobbs (Clarksville, Texas) scored a game-high 25 points and had eight rebounds. Freshman guard Katherine McBride (Lucas, Texas) added 16 points, and senior center Shenelda Levingston (El Dorado) scored eight and pulled down eight rebounds.
ATU had five players finish in double-figures in scoring, led by senior forward Katie Horsman’s 16 points. Senior forward Samanta Ludwig recorded a double-double with 10 points and 14 rebounds. Junior guards Lily Abreu and Roselis Silva scored 14 points each, and junior forward Sarah Martin had 10 points.
Tech led throughout and the game was never really in doubt, jumping out to a 24-6 advantage to start the game. They held a 51-26 lead with 43 ticks left in the first half before claiming a 51-28 margin at the break.
Southern Arkansas made its only legitimate run at the start of the 
second frame, coming out of the dressing room with an 11-2 spree to pull within 53-39 at 16:59 on Hobbs’ lay-up. The Golden Suns regrouped though, sporting their largest lead of 31 points of 82-51 with 5:15 left on Martin’s two free throws.
ATU shot 48.5 percent in the game on 33 of 68, including 4 of 12 three-pointers, and were 22 of 27 (81.5 percent) at the free throw line.
The Lady Muleriders finished at 42.3 percent on 22 of 52, hit 5 of 16 treys, and just 14 of 29 (48.3 percent) foul shots.
Arkansas Tech dominated in every category, holding a 45-34 rebound advantage, and forced 29 SAU turnovers that they converted into 39 points. They outscored Southern Arkansas 52-34 inside and 32-8 in bench points.
Southern Arkansas’ loss to the Golden Suns marks the end of the first half of conference play. They travel Thursday to Durant, Okla., for a 5:30 p.m. match-up with Southeastern Oklahoma State. The Savage Storm claimed a 63-44 win in Magnolia January 5.
Photos by Mike Jones
