Henderson State University Athletics

SEARCY, Ark. – In the 2022-23 season opener, Henderson State fell to No. 19 Missouri Southern State University from Rhodes-Reaves Fieldhouse in Searcy, Arkansas, 74-59.
 
Abbie Jiles led the team with 21 points, shooting 33% from the field, and had seven rebounds. Ashley Farrar had the second most points on the team, scoring 14 points, and went a perfect 3-3 from the free throw line. Henderson shot 34% from the field and 27% from beyond the arc while going 7-9 at the charity line.
 
The No. 19 Lions got out to a fast start, scoring the game's first nine points, forcing an early timeout by the Reddies. Out of the break, HSU scored four points in a row, but MSSU would take advantage of six trips to the free-throw line, converting five of its attempts. Through the first ten minutes, the Reddies would trail 21-10.
 
Henderson opened the second period with a three-pointer from Sonni Martin and a layup from Jiles. MSSU responded to HSU's fast start with a seven-point run to lead 28-15. Reddies' freshman Brynlee Huggins would score her first career points, hitting a trey with just under five minutes to play. Farrar would register her first points of the season after scoring a layup with 3:17 left in the period. HSU would trail the Lions by nine going into the half, 32-23.
 
Through the first 20 minutes, Jiles led the team with eight points and three rebounds. As a team, the Reddies shot 27% from the field and 18% from deep after two frames.
 
Out of the half, the Reddies began to pick up some steam. A fast break by Farrar would lead to a layup, and the senior would also draw a foul in the process. After converting the free throw, HSU continued to chip away at the Lion's lead, 35-30. A three-pointer by Farrar and a layup by Bobbi Bazzle brought the Reddies within one of MSSU, 36-35, and forced a Missouri Southern timeout.
 
The Lions would make two more trips to the free throw line and convert all four attempts, 40-35. A late surge by HSU would tie the game at 48-48 after a Gracie Raby jumper and a trey from Jiles. A late foul would send the Lions back to the charity line, and MSSU would convert the two shots regaining the lead, 50-48, to close out the period.
 
A pair of layups and a three-pointer by the Stokes sisters to open the fourth frame would expand on the Lion's lead, 57-50. Missouri Southern continued to stay hot through the final period, scoring 24 points in the last ten minutes compared to HSU's 11 as the No. 19 Lions would defeat the Reddies, 74-59.
 
Henderson State (0-1, 0-0) returns to action again tomorrow, facing Emporia State at 11 a.m. to close out the GAC/MIAA Conference Challenge.