FORT SMITH, Ark. - The Crimson Storm kicked off the Great American Conference Tournament with a 61-45 win over No. 8 seed East Central University to advance to the next round.

Southern Nazarene (23-6, 19-3 GAC) came out strong in the opening quarter, quickly setting the tone with a three pointer from Hannah Duncan. Hannah Giddey made her presence known in the paint with a pair of layups, while Jillian Crawford added four points from the free throw line and a fastbreak bucket. 

Umi Otsuka kept things rolling with a jumper, helping the Crimson Storm build a 16-7 lead by the end of the first quarter.
East Central (10-17, 8-14 GAC) tried to shake things up in the second quarter, scoring first, but Giddey had the answer. Otsuka stayed hot with back to back jumpers, and Jena Bay got in on the action with a bucket inside. The Tigers kept it close, but the Storm held on to a 26-24 lead at halftime.

The Crimson Storm turned up the heat in the third quarter, pulling away with big time plays on both ends of the floor. Giddey opened the half with another strong finish in the paint, followed by a three pointer from Crawford off an assist from Katie King.
Otsuka stayed locked in with a jumper and a three, while King and Bay added points from the line. Southern Nazarene stretched their lead to 40-31 heading into the fourth quarter of the game.

The Tigers got the first bucket of the final quarter, but the Storm were in full control. Giddey couldn't be stopped in the paint, racking up back to back layups. Crawford, Duncan, and Braci Nyberg added to the scoring, with King and Crawford dishing out key assists. By the time the final buzzer sounded, the Southern Nazarene Crimson Storm had put the game away with a 61-45 victory.
Giddey was unstoppable, leading the way with 23 points, while Otsuka followed with 15. 

Next Up
The Crimson Storm turn their attention to Saturday's semifinal matchup, where they will face the winner of No. 4 Southeastern Oklahoma State and No. 5 Southwestern Oklahoma State. Southern Nazarene is set to take the court on Saturday, March 8, at 12:00 pm as they look to continue their tournament run.