Arkansas Tech College ladies's basketball stored its cool after its worst taking pictures efficiency of the season Thursday evening.
Consequently, the Golden Suns had their greatest taking pictures efficiency of the season lower than 48 hours in the past and at the moment are in place to advance to the postseason for the 18th consecutive 12 months.
Arkansas Tech (10-10 general, 7-9 Nice American Convention) shot 23 p.c from the ground in a 74-38 loss to fifth-ranked Southern Nazarene College on Thursday. It was the bottom discipline objective share in a single sport by the Golden Suns since March 1, 2014.
“We had a troublesome two-hour observe on Friday,” stated ATU head ladies's basketball coach Dave Wilbers. “I took numerous photographs. Everybody got here ready to have a very good observe.”
The subsequent day, Arkansas Tech shot a season-best 61 p.c from the sphere and beat Oklahoma Baptist College 87-54.
“It's fairly typical basketball … when the ball goes within the basket, the whole lot's higher,” Wilbers stated.
The Golden Suns are tied with Ouachita Baptist College (9-11, 7-9) for sixth within the GAC ladies's basketball standings. Southern Arkansas College (11-11, 6-10) and Oklahoma Baptist (9-13, 6-10) are tied for eighth. Groups that end within the prime eight of the ultimate league standings will advance to the GAC Match March 7-10 at FireLake Enviornment in Shawnee, Okla.
5 of Arkansas Tech's last six common season video games will probably be performed on the highway.
“We're in a Shawnee battle with numerous groups as a result of this league is so good,” Wilbers stated. “I used to be fairly good on the highway. Each highway sport we've performed has been shut. We simply need to make some performs on the finish.”
Mark Downey, ATU's head males's basketball coach, bakes the cake with out all of the substances.
The newest blow to the injury-plagued Surprise Boys got here Thursday evening when Cassius Brooks, ATU's second-leading scorer this season at 12.Three factors per sport, hit his head on the ground at Tucker Coliseum throughout a loss 67-52 over Southern Nazarene.
Brooks was in road garments Saturday as Arkansas Tech (16-6, 12-Four) discovered a option to beat Oklahoma Baptist 82-78 and stay in sole possession of second place within the GAC males's basketball standings , one sport behind Southeastern Oklahoma State. College (17-7, 13-Three).
“We performed with numerous grit and Isaac Ragland made a bunch of huge photographs,” Downey stated.
Ragland, who appeared in simply three of Arkansas Tech's first 18 video games, scored a career-high 18 factors within the win over Oklahoma Baptist. He was 5 of 6 from Three-point vary and proved his heroics every week earlier at East Central College, the place he hit a Three-pointer with 1:23 left, was no fluke.
“Subsequent man,” Downey stated. “That's what we've been speaking about. That's what Isaac did at this time. Trey (Allen) gave us some good minutes and Braden Tanner obtained us going. He did some 3s early and it was good to see him get 25 minutes. (Tanner) has a vivid, vivid future right here and I'm glad he's on our workforce.”
Taelon Peter scored 28 factors and blocked an Oklahoma Baptist Three-pointer within the last 20 seconds to protect Arkansas Tech's lead in Saturday's win. The Russellville product has performed 35 or extra minutes in seven of the Surprise Boys' final eight video games in an effort to assist ATU overcome its brief bench.
“That is no time to be jaded,” Downey stated. “It's February. I'm not enjoying, however I'm exhausted. The boys are drained. We’ve got to maintain grinding and get to March. It's one play at a time, one possession at a time, and one play at a time. That's what we are able to fear about.”
Arkansas Tech will play GAC doubleheaders this week at Harding College (5:30 and seven:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 15) and Ouachita Baptist (Saturday, 5 and three p.m.).
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