RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. – The Reddies finished the road portion of their 2025-26 season against the Arkansas Tech Golden Suns tonight, winning 94-86 in a career-best night for senior Grayson Fairless. With this win, Henderson State clinches a berth to the GAC Championships next week.

The Henderson State (16-9, 12-9) offense was led by Grayson Fairless, who set a new career high with 37 points. Riley Samples also set a career high with 21 points, while Natalie Cardenas supplied 17. Fairless matched her season-high of 18 rebounds tonight for another double-double. Cardenas followed with five rebounds, while Brynlee Huggins supplied four. Sam Basson supplied four assists and Cardenas added three. On the defensive side, Huggins and Samples each recorded two blocks, and Basson added two steals.

Game Recap
The Reddies started off hot, scoring five straight points before Arkansas Tech could get on the board. Samples six points to give Henderson State a 13-2 lead in the first three minutes. Huggins sank a three and Henderson State kept pushing, outscoring the Golden Suns 7-4 and led 20-6 with 5:36 left in the game. Arkansas Tech stormed back, scoring 12 unanswered points, but the Reddies held them off, scoring five to lead 27-23 with a minute left in the quarter. Cardenas scored a three as time expired to give the Reddies a 30-25 lead going into the second quarter.

Arkansas Tech started to push back, scoring four to trail 32-29, but Lewis kept the Reddies in the lead scoring four straight to hold off the Golden Suns 36-29 with 5:14 left in the half. Samples continued to push the Reddies ahead, scoring five and going into the last two minutes, Henderson State led 43-35. The Reddie defense held Arkansas Tech to only four more points and went into halftime leading 45-39.

Henderson State came out swinging in the third quarter, scoring five straight points to take an 11-point lead before Arkansas Tech could get on the board, 50-39. Arkansas Tech responded with nine unanswered points to climb back into the game but still trailed 52-48 with 4:54 left in the quarter. Lewis kept the Reddies in the lead, extending it to 54-48, before another push gave Henderson State a 59-52 lead with three minutes left in the quarter. In the last three minutes, the Reddies outscored Arkansas Tech 10-8 to maintain their lead, and going into the final quarter, led 69-60.

Going into the final quarter, Henderson State kept their momentum, holding off any push by the Golden Suns to go on a run, as in the first two minutes, the Reddies led 74-67. Arkansas Tech kept pushing and narrowed the lead to five points with 5:55 left, but Fairless kept Henderson in the lead, scoring nine points over the next two minutes and the Reddies led 89-80 with three minutes left. Cardenas added three to give Henderson a 92-83 lead going into the final two minutes. The Henderson defense held strong, and held Arkansas tech to only five more points the rest of the game and claimed a 94-88 win in Russellville.

Up Next –
Women's Basketball ends their 2025-26 season at home against Harding on February 8th in the Duke Wells Center. Senior Day tip off is scheduled for 1:00 P.M.