SEARCY, Ark. — Faced with a back-and-forth battle all evening long inside the Rhodes Memorial Fieldhouse, Southern Nazarene's final quarter fight was struck with a few Harding foul shots, giving the Bisons their fifth straight home win this season.
Looking for an eight-game win streak, the Storm (15-8, 10-6 GAC) were challenged with arguably one of their toughest matchups of the season as the Bisons (16-6, 12-5 GAC) were also running with a seven-game win streak of their own before they lost to Arkansas Tech three days prior.
Harding took advantage of SNU's early foul troubles as key starters Abby Niehues and Kennedy Gillette were out of action for a lot of the first half. Trailing by five (17-22) after the first, SNU's 11 bench points put them back within two for most of the second quarter.
Harding's dynamic freshman post Sage Hawley picked up her third foul late in the quarter, freeing up the paint for the Storm to go to work. As the clock winded down just before the half, Georgia Adams broke the tie with a quick put-back and SNU reclaimed the lead at 37-35 heading into the locker room.
It was a game of drives after the half, up until the three balls started to launch by Harding as they buried three from deep in the third quarter. The Bisons weren't the only ones with the hot hand that quarter as Jaycee Soap hit a couple from downtown as well, picking up her 21st point late in the period to put the Storm within six (52-58) moving into the final ten.
Harding stepped on the gas, keeping the Storm from seeing any kind of lead. SNU found themselves in a 10-point deficit (62-72) with nearly two minutes left in the contest. Fouls would send Harding to the line to help keep their lead alive, but Soap's two three's back-to-back put the Storm within three with a single minute left.
With 25 seconds left on the clock, Abby Niehues cut it to a one-point game with her offensive put-back. Harding sunk in two free throws after an SNU foul, giving the Storm a chance to tie the game with 16 seconds remaining. SNU hurried to find Soap on the wing for a last chance three, but her shot was no good and Harding claimed the 78-75 win.
Soap set a new career-high scoring record with her 29 points that evening, burring six of her 11 three-point attempts.
Cassandra Awatt picked up her eighth double-double on the season with her 19 points and 12 rebounds against the Bisons, mixing in four steals.
Niehues finished with eight points, three rebounds, and two steals while Emily Monaghan added seven points and three rebounds.
The Storm will have one last meeting with Arkansas Tech in the regular season as they head over to Russellville for a 1:00 matchup Saturday, February 12th.
