Box Score ADA, Okla. – Freshman center Tori Nichols' (Houston, Miss.) opening lay-up gave Southern Arkansas an early 2-0 lead, but it was all downhill from there as host East Central routed the Lady Muleriders 84-47 Saturday in Great American Conference play at the Kerr Activities Center.
 
The Lady Tigers (10-2, 5-1 GAC) won their seventh straight and sit at second in the league standings, while SAU (0-11, 0-6 GAC) dropped its 20th consecutive game dating back to last season.
 
Erin Walling scored 16 points to lead ECU.  Dilan Webster added 14 points, grabbed five rebounds, blocked four shots and had four steals, and Lindsay McCown scored 10 points.
 
Sophomore guard Bria Snowden (El Dorado) led Southern Arkansas with 15 points, all on five three-pointers, but had eight turnovers.  Junior guard Stevi Cooper (Reno, Nev.) scored 10 points.
 
The Lady Muleriders were without their leading scorer in sophomore guard Katherine McBride (Lucas, Texas), who missed the game while attending to family matters.
 
East Central put its lead in double-digits for good with a 15-5 score at 12:47 in the first half before commanding a 48-16 advantage late.  A Snowden trey made it 48-19 at the half.
 
The Lady Muleriders were never closer as the Lady Tigers built 48-point margins in the second frame, the last coming at 5:17 on a jumper from Webster for an 81-33 game.
 
SAU closed out the game on a 14-3 run for the final margin.
 
Southern Arkansas shot only 25.4 percent for the game on 17 of 67 from the floor, including 9 of 34 three-pointers.  They made only four trips to the foul line, converting all.
 
ECU hit at a sizzling 57.1 percent clip on 32 of 56, with 6 of 12 treys, and was 14 of 17 on free throws.
 
East Central held a 39-36 rebound advantage, with Ashley Robison pulling down eight.  Nichols grabbed a game-high 10 for the Lady Muleriders, and freshman center Jordan Redmond (Liberty Hill, Texas) had eight.
 
The Lady Tigers outscored SAU 28-8 inside and held a 23-7 margin in points off turnovers, with Southern Arkansas committing 16 and ECU 10.
 
The Lady Muleriders get a week off before hosting Southern Nazarene (Okla.) in conference action January 12 in Magnolia at 2 p.m.