SE Falls to No. 8 Ranked Harding

Box Score SEARCY, Ark. – Southeastern was unable to overcome 16 Harding three point buckets as the Savage Storm fell to the No. 8 ranked Bisons 80-62 on Monday night in Searcy, Ark.
 
The game was the third in six days for SE who rescheduled the contest after ice forced a cancellation of the trip back in December.
 
The Storm have now dropped consecutive games of the first time this season and dip to 8-5 overall and 5-2 in Great American Conference play.
 
Emily Williams turned in an 18 point performance in the effort and rounded out a double-double, her fourth of the season, with a team-best 13 rebounds.
 
Kaylie Baster added 11 points, while Breana Small-Peppers chipped in nine, with Taylor Richards and Haley Schaefer each posting eight points.
 
SE out-shot HU 42.1 percent-to-38.7 percent, but the percentages failed to even out due to the Bisons taking 18 more shots overall while also hitting 16-of-39 three pointers.
 
The Storm hit 6-of-19 from long range.
 
A big part of the difference comes from Southeastern getting out-rebounded 48-to---34, including a 19-to-5 mark on the offensive end.
 
Richards dished out a team-high three assists as the Storm totaled 12 across from 13 turnovers.
 
Williams did the heavy lifting on the boards for the Storm with her 13 rebounds, with Baxter checking in next at five.
 
SE held a 30-24 edge in points in the paint, but HU posted a 17-13 advantage in points off turnovers as well as a 16-2 edge in second-chance points.
 
Southeastern fell in a 12-4 hole early, but clawed back and capped a 7-0 run with a Schaefer layup with 13:02 to go in the first half.
 
The Storm trailed by just two points with 10:50 to play in the half when HU reeled off a 16-0 run that left SE facing a 33-15 deficit with 6:47 to play in the first.
 
Southeastern would whittle away that deficit somewhat and a Small-Peppers layup in the final minute would leave the Storm down 39-27 at halftime.
 
SE would unfortunately never get the gap back to single digits, however, as Harding would maintain a double-digit lead for the entire second half, pushing ahead by as many as 21 before Natalie Ruud hit a three with 30 second to play which fashioned the 80-82 final score.