Box Score Box Score

ARKADELPHIA, Ark. – Playing in their first action in almost two weeks, the Henderson State women's basketball team was able to shake off some early rust as they rallied for a 67-62 win in overtime against McMurry University on Monday night in the Duke Wells Center.
 
The rusty start for the Lady Reddies (7-2) was immediate as they were held scoreless over the first 3:12 of the game after HSU missed their first four shots and turned the ball over three times. Despite that slow start, the Lady Reddies were very much in the game as the visiting Warkhawks (4-8) were only able to get ahead by four points before the Lady Reddies got on the board.
 
After a quick 4-0 run put McMurry ahead, 8-2, the Warhawks would go ice cold over the next 8:39 of the game. During that stretch, the Lady Reddies mounted a 9-0 run to take a three-point lead, 11-8. The lead would change hands twice more before the end of the first half, with the Lady Reddies taking a 20-18 lead into the break. The low-scoring first half was reflected in each team's shooting percentage as McMurry shot 29% (9-of-31) while Henderson shot just 25% (8-of-32).
 
The opening five minutes of the second half were closely contested as the lead changed hands on three occasions in addition to the score being tied twice. After grabbing a 29-27 lead at the 15:23 mark in the second half, the Warhawks would swell their lead to its largest of the game, 12 points, after going on a 14-4 run over the next 5:19 of the game.
 
Henderson would answer back with a 17-3 run of their own as they took a two-point lead 48-46 with 3:08 remaining in the game. During HSU's monster run, Aungelique Sledge went on a scoring binge as she scored seven straight points over a period of 1:22. The burst by Sledge gave the Lady Reddies a lead as her efforts turned a six-point deficit into a one-point advantage.
 
In the final seconds of the game, McMurry's M.J. Vickers hit a pair of free throws to knot the game at 53-all and send the game into overtime.
 
The overtime period would be dominated by the Lady Reddies as they never trailed in the extra time. Sledge scored the team's first points as she hit a three-pointer to push the Lady Reddies ahead. HSU would build a lead as large as nine points before ending the contest with a five-point margin of victory.
 
Shooting for both teams improved as the game played on as McMurry shot 44% (16-of-39) across the second half and overtime while Henderson shot 36% (15-of-42) in the same time. The difference in the game may have been decided at the free throw line as the Lady Reddies shot 74% (17-of-23) for the game while the Warhawks shot 67% (6-of-9).
 
Individually, Sledge came off the bench to lead the team with 14 points. Jalisa Benjamin also came off the bench and turned in a solid game as she scored nine points and pulled down nine rebounds (six on the offensive glass). Destiny Smith was just behind Sledge in scoring with a 13-point effort. Smith also pulled down a game-high 14 rebounds to record a double-double, her fourth of the season. Jill Temples and Dulincia Keener rounded out the top scoring as each poured in 11 points.
 
The Lady Reddies will be back in action on Wednesday, January 2nd as they will play host to the University of Arkansas-Fort Smith in the Duke Wells Center. Tip-off for the game is scheduled for 2:00 pm.