ARKADELPHIA, Ark. — Henderson State (6-1, 2-0) is looking to continue its perfect start to GAC play when the Reddies visit the Harding Lady Bisons in Searcy, Arkansas on Saturday at 5:30 p.m.
REDDIES REPORT
- The Reddies have now won five-straight matchups after an 84-73 victory at Midwestern State on Monday evening. HSU was led by Hailey Estes who now has three double-doubles in her last four outings after scoring 24 points and pulling down 12 rebounds at MSU.
- Estes and fellow guard Lani Snowden have been almost unstoppable from 3-point range over the last three games, shooting a combined 29-for-49 from behind the arc, good for 59.2%. Snowden is third in the GAC in 3-point field goal percentage (54.8%), and fifth in the league in 3-point field goals made (2.4 per game) and overall field goal percentage (57.4%).
- Perhaps no one in the conference is doing more for her team than Estes. The senior from Conway, Arkansas is the only GAC player averaging a double-double with 15.4 points and 10.3 rebounds per game. Estes has also made the most 3-pointers of any player in the league (3.6 per game) while ranking in the top five in the conference in steals (2.9 per game).
- Karrington Whaley was one rebound short of her third double-double when she finished with 16 points and nine rebounds in the win at Midwestern State. Whaley has been superb on both ends of the court and ranks third in the GAC with 1.4 blocks per game, while averaging 13.1 points and 8.3 rebounds.
- Pink Jones, the reigning GAC Player of the Week, has been Henderson's primary facilitator this season and leads the GAC with seven assists per game. Jones has been equally lethal on the defensive end, as she ranks fourth in the league in both steals (3.3 per game) and blocks (1.0 per game).
- One of the many reasons for HSU's five-game winning streak is their excellent 3-point shooting and 3-point defense. The Reddies rank second in the conference, shooting 36.9% from 3-point range, and are first in the GAC in 3-point defense, allowing opponents to shoot just 22.8% from long distance. The Reddies feature the conference's best offense, averaging 81.7 points per game through the first month of the season.
- Henderson State and Harding have been evenly matched in recent years and have split the last 10 matchups. HSU took down the Lady Bisons 84-77 in the first meeting of the season last year, but fell to Harding in Searcy, 87-72. Harding ended Henderson's season in the GAC Tournament quarterfinals when the Lady Bisons prevailed 63-54.
SCOUTING HARDING
- Harding (3-3, 0-2) has dropped three in a row after an extremely impressive start to the season when they notched wins against Emporia State, Missouri Southern State and No. 24 Angelo State. The Lady Bisons' three-game losing streak includes an 0-2 start in GAC play with losses to Arkansas-Monticello and Southern Arkansas.
- Similarly to last season, Harding dictates the offense through junior forward Kellie Lampo, who is averaging 17.5 points and 9.2 rebounds per game with shooting 54.8% from the floor. Lampo and Henderson's Estes are the only players in the league averaging more than 15 points and nine rebounds per game.
- The Lady Bisons have had a difficult time taking care of the ball this season and are averaging 25.5 turnovers per game. Harding has 20 or more turnovers in five of six games this season, including 47 giveaways in its 76-71 loss at Southern Arkansas.
- The Reddies will need a strong rebounding effort to take down the Lady Bisons on Saturday. Harding is out-rebounding opponents by an average of 9.8 boards per game. In the two setbacks to HU last season, the Reddies lost the rebounding battle 48-35 in Searcy and 40-33 in the GAC Tournament.
