ARKADELPHIA, Ark. – Karrington Whaley scored a career-high 24 points and pulled down 14 rebounds Saturday afternoon to help Henderson State pull out a classic GAC battle over Arkansas Tech, 77-72. The Reddies have now won five straight in Arkadelphia over the Golden Suns.
 
Gracie Raby and Ashley Farrar came through with 15 and 11 points, respectively. Six of Farrar's 11 points came from the free-throw line where she was a perfect 6-for-6. Maci Mains contributed a season-high eight points, connecting on both of her threes in key moments and a clutch layup late in the game to give HSU that extra boost it needed in front of the home crowd.
 
Henderson out-rebounded Tech 24-9 in the first half in what would wind up resulting in 14 second-chance points compared to four for ATU. Seven of those 24 boards were directed to Whaley as the fifth-year senior had 15 points and seven rebounds in the first 20 minutes of game time.
 
The first quarter was neck-and-neck the entire way before HSU used a Mains triple and a Whaley lay-in to close the opening frame on a 5-0 run to head into the second up 16-11. Lani Snowden kept the run alive in the second quarter with her lone three of the night as the lead grew to eight and then 10 after a pair of Raby free-throws.
 
Tech did not blink, climbing all the way back to take a one point lead at the 4:29 mark, 27-26. Terrific post play from Whaley down the stretch of the first half helped the Reddies secure a five point advantage heading into the locker room, 34-29, as she registered the final five Henderson points before the break.
 
Whaley scored the first three points of the second half as she went on a personal 8-0 run. Snowden and Raby added four more points as the Reddies saw a 12-0 run from the close of the half into the third.
 
With a 41-29 lead, ATU once again was able to overcome the deficit, using an 8-2 run down the stretch to tie it up at 50. A trey from Sonni Martin gave HSU the slight edge heading into the fourth quarter.
 
Both teams scored their most points of any quarter in the final frame as each team traded buckets. In the one point possession that was most of the final quarter, Henderson went 9-of-11 from the free-throw line in the final nine minutes of the game, including four straight within 30 seconds, to keep the Golden Suns at a distance the rest of the way.
 
Henderson left the Duke Wells Center Saturday afternoon with the 77-72 victory, improving to 6-2 and 2-1 in conference. Next up is a non-conference home contest against Bacone College Wednesday, Dec. 15 at 5:30 p.m.