ARKADELPHIA, Ark. – Henderson State holds off a late push by Arkansas Tech to improve to 2-1 in conference play with an 84-80 win over the Golden Suns in the Duke Wells Center.
 
HSU (6-3, 2-1) had three players reach double-digit points, led by Ashley Farrar, who recorded a team-high 33 points with five triples on 50.0 percent shooting from deep. Tori Gittens saw 21 points and finished 7-of-12 from the field and 5-of-7 from beyond the arc, while Natalie Cardenas had 10 points and a team-high nine rebounds. The Reddies ended the game shooting 44.3 percent from the field and 37.9 percent from beyond the arc with 44 rebounds.
 
Layups by Gittens, Bobbi Bazzle and Cardenas gave HSU the early advantage 8-2 before Farrar stretched the lead to 13-6 with her first three-pointer of the half. Allen sank a triple shortly after to spark a 5-0 run, and the Golden Suns would reply with a 7-0 burst to trim the Reddies' lead to 22-17 after the first period.
 
ATU remained hot through the first minute and a half of the second period with six quick points to cut Henderson's edge to two, 25-23. Farrar helped HSU find its footing, converting a pair of free-throws and knocking down a triple to grow the Reddies' advantage back out to nine. Gittens sank a pair of triples before a layup from Farrar gave HSU its largest lead of the half, 46-30. Arkansas Tech responded with a 7-0 run in the final two minutes and ten seconds, including a half-court shot as time expired, but the Reddies remained in front 46-37 at the break.
 
Gittens got the scoring going in the third period, knocking down her fourth three-pointer of the contest to stretch the Reddies' advantage out to double digits, 51-37. ATU was quick to respond, rattling off eight straight points to slash HSU's edge to 54-48. The two sides traded baskets before Farrar sank a triple to make it a three-possession game for the red-and-gray. The Golden Suns went on a late 6-0 burst to make it a three-point game after 30 minutes, with HSU ahead 65-62.
 
Arkansas Tech opened the final quarter on a 7-0 run, though the Reddies replied with a 7-0 run of their own, capped off by a triple from Gittens to lead 72-69. The two sides traded leads after the Golden Suns went up 73-72 before HSU regained the edge 75-73. ATU would tie the game 75 all, but a layup by JJ Eddens put Henderson in front 78-75 with three minutes remaining.
 
The Reddies were held scoreless for the next two and half minutes, and Farrar would break the drought with a triple and two free throws to give HSU an 83-77 advantage with 16 seconds left. ATU drained a three-pointer with 13 seconds remaining to cut it to a three-point game, but the Reddies would hang on to win 84-80.