RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. — A put-back on a missed free throw from Arkansas Tech with 11 seconds remaining proved to be the difference on Saturday, as Henderson State could not get a bucket in the final seconds and fell 87-85 to the Golden Suns at Tucker Coliseum.

Four players finished in double figures for the Reddies in defeat. Karrington Whaley had 18 points and 13 rebounds, while Hailey Estes scored 14 of her 18 points in the fourth quarter. Maci Mains had a team-high 19 points and Lani Snowden added 11 on 4-of-8 shooting.

After trailing for most of the day, and with Tech leading 60-51 at the 1:22 mark of the third quarter, HSU put together two huge runs to get back into the game. The first came at the end of the third, as Henderson got a 3-pointer from Whaley, a bucket from Snowden and two free throws from Mains with no time remaining on the clock to cap a quick 7-3 spurt to end the frame. The timely run trimmed the deficit down to just 63-58 going into the final 10 minutes. 

The momentum from the end of the third quarter carried over into the fourth for the Reddies. Henderson opened the period on a huge 16-2 run, which was powered by two 3-pointers from Estes and one from Snowden, to surge to a 73-65 advantage with just over seven minutes left. Tech refused to go away, though, and answered with a 15-5 run of its own to retake the lead 80-78 with 2:59 remaining.

It was a battle down the stretch, as the lead changed hands three times and the score was knotted up twice. With the game tied 85-85 and 14 seconds to play, Arkansas Tech missed two free throws which could have put the Golden Suns in front, but reserve guard Ashley Breathitt, who had not attempted a shot all afternoon, snagged the offensive rebound and got a contested layup to go to give ATU an 87-85 advantage with 11 seconds to go. Needing a bucket in the final moments, HSU could not find one, as a 3-pointer from Whaley misfired and put-backs from Pink and Blu Jones came up empty at the final buzzer to seal the win for Tech.

Henderson shot just 39.4% from the floor, compared to Arkansas Tech's 49.3% shooting, and was out-scored 50-38 in the paint in the loss.

The Reddies return to action on Thursday, Jan. 23 when they host East Central at 5:30 p.m.