SEARCY, Ark. – Trailing by two with less than 40 seconds to play, Henderson State had multiple opportunities to tie or take the lead on Saturday night, but could not get a shot to fall, as the Reddies dropped their first conference game to Harding, 66-64.
The Reddies (6-2, 2-1) were led by Hailey Estes, who continued her excellent shooting form and finished with a game-high 23 points on 9-of-13 shooting, which included a 5-for-7 performance from 3-point range. Estes has now scored 20 or more in three of her four last outings and is 23-for-42 from behind the arc in the last four games.
Outside of the senior Estes, Henderson was just 15-for-59 (25.4%) from the floor and 2-of-17 on 3-point attempts (11.8%). Karrington Whaley and Pink Jones also added double figures for HSU, as Whaley finished with 13 points and six rebounds, while Pink Jones notched 10 points, seven rebounds, three assists and three steals.
Henderson will play its last GAC game of the calendar year when it travels to Monticello, Arkansas to take on UAM on Dec. 14 at 2 p.m.
1st Quarter
Following a Pink Jones layup which gave HSU a 5-4 lead with 7:30 left in the first quarter, the Reddies offense hit a serious speed bump. Henderson went without a field goal for the next four minutes while Harding used a 9-2 run to build a modest six-point lead, 13-7. Estes' second 3-pointer of the quarter cut the deficit to 13-10, but the Lady Bisons ended the quarter on an 8-1 run and led 21-11 after one.
2nd Quarter
After Harding scored on their first possession of the second quarter to grab its largest lead, 23-11, the Reddies flipped the script with a dominating 17-2 run, highlighted by Whaley's first 3-point field goal of the year, to pull in front 28-25. HU tied the game 28-28, but an old school 3-point-play from Whaley gave the Reddies a 31-28 advantage heading into halftime.
3rd Quarter
While the first and second quarters were marked by alternating runs, the Reddies and the Lady Bisons traded buckets for the first four minutes of the second half. With HSU clinging to a 39-38 lead, Blu Jones got involved with a smooth jumper followed by a 3-pointer that gave the Reddies their largest lead, 44-38. The Reddies kept it a two-possession game for the rest of the frame and held a 53-48 lead heading into the fourth and final quarter.
4th Quarter
HSU's lead dissipated in the first two minutes and twenty seconds of the fourth frame, as a 6-0 run from Harding sent them in front 54-53. The Reddies did not score until the 5:12 mark of the quarter when a layup from Estes cut HU's lead to one, 56-55. Another jumper from Estes gave the Reddies a 62-60 lead with 2:16 left, but four-straight free throws by Harding gave the Lady Bisons a 64-62 lead with a minute to play. After a layup from Maci Mains tied the game 64-64, Harding turned to GAC Player of the Year candidate Kellie Lampo, who gave Harding a 66-64 advantage with 39 seconds to play. Henderson State got off a remarkable six shots on its last possession of the game, but couldn't get one to fall, as the Reddies suffered their first loss of the GAC season, 66-64.
