ARKADELPHIA, Ark. - Southern Nazarene opens the new year with convincing 72-45 win over the Ouachita Baptist Tigers in Arkadelphia on Thursday evening. 

The Crimson Storm (7-2, 4-1 GAC) have not let off the defensive gas pedal as they stopped the Tigers (3-8, 0-5 GAC) dead in their tracks allowing only 45 points, a season-best. For the third time this season, SNU turned in an eight block performance while poking away 16 steals. 

Ouachita Baptist was held to 27.1% on 13-of-48 shooting while Southern Nazarene boasted a 55.2% field goal percentage on 32-of-58 shooting. The Storm knocked down seven triples to the three of the Tigers. SNU only met with the free-throw line a total of six times and chimed in on just one while OBU registered 72.7% from the charity strike on 16-of-22 shooting.

Sophomore Sonia Sarda led the charge for the Storm accumulating 14 points on 6-of-7 shooting (85.7%), a season-high shot percentage. Sarda also knocked down two from the arc and collected four steals. For the second time season, Abby Niehues manged to block five shots and shoot a perfect 100% field percentage. Niehues went 6-for-6 in route to her 12 points and four rebounds. 

Senior Irene Perez turned in her best performance of the season finishing with 12 points on 5-of-7 shooting. Perez complimented this effort with two steals, one block, and three rebounds.  Jaycee Soap struggled a bit on the evening from the floor as she scrambled to 10 points. Soap made her best effort on the defensive end as she came down with five defensive rebounds and two steals. 

Kennedy Gillette scored a quiet eight points while she made the most noise with a team-high eight rebounds and one steal. Alexus Jones also collected eight points while stuffing the stat sheet with four steals, five rebounds, and four assists. 

Southern Nazarene led the entire game as they got off to a 17-12 first quarter lead and eventually ended the half at a 54.8% shooting clip to the 32% of Ouachita. The Crimson Storm got off a hot start in the second half as they out-scored the Tigers 21-8 in route to a commanding win. 

SNU will return to action Saturday in their Arkansas road trip as they visit the neighbor of Ouachita Baptist, Henderson State, in a 1:00 PM matchup to end the weekend.