The Henderson State women’s basketball program will travel to Ada, Okla. to face East Central on Jan. 26, with tip-off set for 5:30 p.m. inside the Kerr Activities Center.
REDDIES REPORT
Henderson (9-8, 6-5) went cold in the second half last time out in the loss to Ouachita Baptist 69-59. The Reddies had three players reach double-digit scoring figures, led by Abbie Jiles with 16. HSU struggled to rebound the ball as OUA outrebounded Henderson 41-28 and had 18 second-chance points compared to the Reddies, who had two.
Ashley Farrar scored ten points against Ouachita Baptist, recording her fifth consecutive double-digit point game. The senior guard is averaging a team-high 19.6 points a game and is shooting 45.8 percent from the field. Jiles (12.2) and Gracie Raby (11.3) are also averaging ten or more points an outing, with the team scoring just under 70 points a game.
The Reddies fourth rank three-point attack, which is shooting 34.3 percent from the field, will take on the worst three-point defense in East Central, who is allowing its opponents to shoot 35.9 percent from beyond the arc. HSU has shot well from deep recently, making 47 triples in its last five games, including ten against Ouachita Baptist, and is averaging 8.1 per game.
Henderson and East Central last met in the first round of last year’s GAC Tournament. The Reddies would advance to the next round after eliminating the Tigers in a 79-66 contest. Jiles led the team that evening with 22 points and nine rebounds. HSU is currently riding a two-game wins streak over ECU, though the Tigers lead the all-time series 14-10.
SCOUTING EAST CENTRAL
The Tigers got a win over their rivals Southeastern Oklahoma State 65-58, to improve to 6-9 overall and 3-8 in the GAC. ECU’s two other wins in conference action came against Southern Arkansas and Northwestern Oklahoma State. East Central is led by interim head coach Heather Hurt who took over this season after spending nine years as the assistant coach.
ECU’s Mackenzie Crusoe runs the Tigers’ offense, averaging a team-high 14.1 points a game and 3.5 assists. This season, East Central has made its trips to the foul line count as they rank third in the GAC in free-throw percentage, converting at a rate of 75.9. The Tigers average 65.7 points a game and are shooting 38.1 percent from the field this season.
