FT. SMITH, Ark. –
Kenzli Warden picked up where she left off in last year's Great American Conference Tournament, dropping 35 points to lead fifth-seeded Southeastern to a 78-72 win over No. 4 seed Henderson State on Friday night in Fort Smith, Ark.
The win lifts the Savage Storm to 17-12 on the season and runs its winning streak to five games and 12 of its last 13.
SE will now advance to the semifinals to take on top-seeded Harding at 5:45 p.m. on Saturday, March 7 at Northside Arena in Ft. Smith, Ark.
Warden's 35 points matches her career-high which she posted in a Jan. 31 win over the Reddies in Durant, Okla. She finished the contest going 12-of-25 from the floor and adding an 11-of-12 performance at the free throw line, including hitting three of four free throws in the final 10 seconds.
Tori Kilburn turned in a double-double in the game, her ninth of the season, finishing with 22 points on 8-f-of-19 shooting with a pair of threes, while pulling down a game-high 11 rebounds.
Akiera Hawk came off the bench to finish with 10 points, hitting both threes she took including one with 58 seconds to play which put Southeastern in front for good.
Abbie Barr saw her first action in nine games and added four points, all in the second half.
Kilburn led the aa yont he boards while Warden grabbed eight and the Storm held a 38-to-35 edge on the glass for the contest.
Southeastern blocked four shots and logged four steals, forcing 11 turnovers across from just five of their own.
Kilburn and Warden combined for 28 of the team's 33 first-half points, and it was Warden who put the first points on the board for the Storm.
SE trailed early until an 11-3 run capped by a Warden jumper at the 2:52 mark to take a 13-1 lead.
HSU responded with the next five points to regain the lead, but a Kilburn three-point play with 39 seconds to go in the first knotted the game at 16-16 which would be the score at the first quarter break.
Hawk and Kilburn opened the second quarter with back-to-back threes and after a Reddie three-point play, Warden scored the next six points on her own to push the Southeastern advantage to 28-19 at the 5:37 mark.
HSU closed the half outscoring the Storm 15-5 and SE trailed 34-33 at the halftime break.
Mackenzie Espinosa hit a three to open the second half, but the Reddies followed with seven-straight points to take a 41-36 lead two minutes into the third quarter.
The Storm trailed by six with 6:07 to play in the period, and a Stinchcomb jumper kicked off six straight points to tie the game at 48-48.
HSU answered with back-to-back buckets, but Southeastern closed the quarter on an 8-2 run on the strength of six Warden points to take a 56-54 lead into the fourth quarter.
Warden and Barr hit back-to-back jumpers in the paint to open the final frame, jumping out to a six point lead, but HSU chipped away, tying the game three times before taking a 68-66 lead with 4:10 to play.
The teams traded buckets and ties over the next three minutes until Hawk connected on a three with 58 seconds left to give the Storm a 73-72 lead.
Southeastern defense would force two misses and two turnovers over the final 58 seconds, and Warden connected on five of six free throws over the final 20 seconds to lift SE to the 78-72 win.
