ADA, Okla. – Behind 19 points and 11 rebounds from sophomore forward Aleeya Harris and senior forward Rosa Bryant's third-straight game with 20+ points, the Southern Arkansas Lady Mulerider basketball team defeated East Central 63-59 in the Great American Conference opener for both teams on Thursday evening inside the Kerr Activities Center.
 
The win is the Lady Muleriders (3-0, 1-0 GAC) first ever in Ada (previously 0-5) and in the process puts SAU at 3-0 to start the season for the first time since the 2004-05 season when they began that year 4-0.
 
Harris' double-double came courtesy of a strong first half where she shot 7-of-7 from the floor tallying 14 points and five rebounds in 18 minutes of action. Bryant finished with 20 points and a rebound shy of her third-straight double-double, while classmate guard Tierra Tucker added 13 points.
 
Southern Arkansas led 21-18 after the opening quarter and put pressure on the Tigers from the outset as they jumped out to a 15-5 advantage; their largest lead of the game. Both teams struggled offensively in the second quarter, combining for only 14 points as SAU took a 27-26 lead into the intermission after an almost five minute scoring drought ended play in the opening half.
 
Three minutes into the second half, ECU tied the contest at 30 and then took their final lead of the game with a three-pointer at the 6:14 mark of third quarter. Tucker scored inside to cut the deficit to a point and Harris followed with a paint bucket that put SAU in front for good, 34-33. With 2:46 remaining in the third quarter, Tucker scored and converted the free throw after a foul and Bryant followed suit three possessions later with an old-fashioned three-point play of her own that gave SAU a five-point lead with 1:32 left in the third frame.
 
A three-pointer from Shana Holmes and back-to-back baskets down low from Bryant gave the Lady Muleriders an eight-point cushion with 6:03 remaining in the game. Harris picked up a steal two and a half minutes later that led to a basket and a free throw from Tucker. Bryant added two buckets in response to a pair of Tiger three point buckets that kept SAU's lead at seven, 59-52 with less than 70 seconds to play.
 
Four of Holmes' nine points came in the final 23 seconds as the senior guard shot 4-of-6 from the charity stripe to hold off a late ECU rally.
 
SAU dominated inside scoring 76% of their points in the paint, while outscoring the Tigers 48 to 8 in that category. Ten of SAU's 22 fourth quarter points came off of turnovers as Southern Arkansas collected three steals and turned them into points in the final three and half minutes of the game.
 
Tucker and guard Caroline Ficher each had three steals and Holmes' added a team-leading six assists.
 
The Lady Muleriders return to the court for a GAC matchup in Durant, Oklahoma, for a 1 p.m. tip-off with Southeastern Oklahoma State on Saturday, November 21.
 
Be sure to check out muleriderathletics.com for upcoming coverage, pregame previews and postgame recaps of head coach Julio Pacheco and the 2015-16 Lady Mulerider basketball team.