Box Score

ADA, Okla. – The Southern Arkansas women's basketball team was in search of their third season sweep of a Great American Conference opponent when they took on East Central on Thursday night at the Kerr Activities Center, but the Lady Tigers defended their home court and handed the Lady Muleriders a 59-74 loss.
 
In the game, the Lady Tigers (14-6, 9-5 GAC) scored the game's first points on a layup by Alycea Price and from there, ECU would play out in front of the Lady Muleriders (10-10, 6-8 GAC) as there was only one tie score and no lead changes.
 
Despite playing from behind, the Lady Muleriders were within striking distance throughout much of the first half as they kept their deficit under double digits. However, with the Lady Muleriders trailing by a point, 23-22, with 5:33 left in the first half, the Lady Tigers ripped off a 10-0 run over the next three minutes of play to take an 11-point lead, 33-22 with 2:12 left.
 
The Lady Muleriders would break that run moments later and get back to within single digits on a jumper by Chanel Miller. That would be the final score of the first half as the Lady Tigers took a nine-point lead, 33-24, into the break.
 
Coming out of the break, the Lady Tigers would out-score the Lady Muleriders, 9-4, over the first three minutes of the half to take their largest lead of the game to that point, 14 points, 42-28. A strong push by the Lady Muleriders over the next four minutes, however, brought them to within six points of the lead, 45-39, with 13:10 left in the game.
 
That Lady Mulerider threat was then extinguished at the 12:41 mark as the Lady Tigers went on an 8-0 run over the next three minutes to open up another 14-point lead, 53-39, with 10:16 remaining.
 
From there, the Lady Tigers would continue to build upon their lead, grabbing an advantage as high as 22 points before ending the game with a 15-point margin of victory, 74-59.
 
Three Lady Muleriders scored in double figures with Chanel Miller leading the team with 14 points. Behind Miller in scoring were Miranda Grier and Barvion Wyatt with 11 points each. Miller and Wyatt would also tie for the team lead in rebounds with four each.
 
The Lady Muleriders will remain on the road in Oklahoma as they head to Durant, Okla. to take on Southeastern Oklahoma on Saturday, February 8. Tip-off for that game is set for 2 p.m.