Box Score (html)
 
MAGNOLIA, Ark. – Taylor Hedrick, Hayden Priddy and Tyra Aska combined for 54 points to lead the #15/14-ranked SWOSU Lady Bulldogs past Southern Arkansas 86-61 on Thursday night at the Watson Athletic Center in Magnolia.
 
The Lady Dawgs scored the first five points of the game and never looked back, leading wire-to-wire as they completed the season sweep of SAU for the fourth straight year. SWOSU doubled up the Muleriders in the first quarter, leading 26-13 after 10 minutes of play before extending the lead to 48-33 at halftime despite four starters missing time in the second quarter due to foul trouble. Hedrick and Priddy both hit double figures in the first half, combining for 23 points in the first 20 minutes.
 
Southern Arkansas was able to slow the pace in the third quarter, but they were just 3-of-10 from the field, which allowed the Lady Bulldogs to again extend their lead, which stood at 20 points – 59-39 – after three quarters of play. SWOSU's bench, which managed 21 points in the game, played most of the fourth quarter and helped the Lady Dawgs outscore SAU 27-22 in the period to provide the final margin.
 
Hedrick scored a season-high 19 points, hitting 6-of-9 field goal attempts and converting 7-of-8 chances at the free throw line. She added three assists and two rebounds as she became the sixth different player to lead SWOSU in scoring this season. Priddy chipped in 18 points – moving into fourth in the GAC's all-time scoring list – while also recording three steals and three rebounds.
 
Tyra Aska added 17 points while Taber Beer came off the bench to score 10 points for her third double-digit scoring game in the past five outings. Hailey Tucker was limited to nine points as she attempted just eight field goal attempts, but she again filled out a stat sheet with four rebounds, two blocked shots and two steals.
 
"We had to play a little differently tonight with the way Southern Arkansas guarded us, but I was pleased that we were still able to score at a high rate in a game with limited possessions," SWOSU Head Coach Kelsi Musick said after the win. "We had to finish every possession to the best of our ability because they were trying to limit our chances and I thought Taylor did a good job of taking what they were giving her and converting when she got to the rim."
 
SWOSU has now won 18 consecutive games, improving to 18-1 on the year and 13-0 in Great American Conference play heading into a meeting with Arkansas-Monticello on Saturday afternoon in Monticello.