MAGNOLIA, Ark. – Behind a 19-point first half from senior forward Rosa Bryant and a balanced offensive attack through four quarters that saw four other players score in double figures, the Southern Arkansas Women's Basketball team topped the century mark for the first time since December of 2001 as they blew by LeMoyne-Owen College 104-67 in a non-conference affair inside the W.T. Watson Center on Thursday evening.
 
The final performance before the Christmas holiday proved to be a successful one as the Lady Muleriders (6-1) shot over 55% from the floor (44-of-79), while connecting on over 50% (8-of-15) of their shots from behind the arc. SAU dished out 30 assists as all players registered in the scoring column.
 
Bryant finished with 25 points and 12 rebounds as she logged her sixth double-double of the season in only 26 minutes of action. Senior guard Shana Holmes collected 13 points and shot 3-of-4 from deep, while junior guard Makaila Jordan dropped a career-high dozen for Southern Arkansas. Rounding out the double-figure scoring for the Lady Muleriders was senior guard Tierra Tucker and junior guard Caroline Ficher as both finished with 10 points apiece.
 
Southern Arkansas used a fast-paced style early on as they benefitted from buckets in transition by jumping out to a 27-9 lead late in the first quarter of play. That lead would get no lower than 17 points through the final three minutes of the first half as SAU counterattacked the Magician press defensive as they outscored LeMoyne-Owen 68-34 in the paint
 
Buckets from freshman guard Jasmyn Eckerman and Bryant along with a pair of free throws by senior guard Destavia Davis pushed SAU's late first half lead to 19 before Ficher buried a buzzer-beating three-pointer to give the Lady Muleriders a 22-point advantage heading into the break.
 
It was all Lady Muleriders in the second half as well as senior forward Shunta Nevitt added seven points and three blocks and sophomore Carlee Earls added six points on a pair of baskets from behind the arc. Freshman guard Jaida Harden played a team-high 15 minutes in the second half and delivered four assists and a steal as a catalyst on the offensive attack, while classmate Alyssa Hamilton earned her first career start picking up four rebounds and a steal in 11 minutes of work. Junior guard Faith Rolen added six points in 10 minutes of work off of the bench.
 
The Lady Muleriders lead 75-48 with one quarter to play and at the 2:22 mark of the fourth quarter, Eckerman scored inside to give SAU a 100-65 lead as SAU topped the century mark for the first time since December 13, 2001, when the Lady Muleriders toppled Wiley College 101-34.
 
Southern Arkansas will return to the court for the final time in 2015 on Wednesday, December 30, as they welcome in Philander Smith College for a 5:30 p.m. tip-off inside the W.T. Watson Center. The Lady Muleriders opened the season with a 72-68 victory over the Panthers in Little Rock.
 
Be sure to visit muleriderathletics.com for continuing coverage of the 2015-16 Lady Mulerider Basketball team and head coach Julio Pacheco.