The East Central University women's basketball team returns to Great American Conference action this weekend when they host league-leading Harding and Arkansas Tech at the Kerr Activities Center.  The Tigers will first battle with the Bisons, Thursday, Jan. 7 at 5:30 p.m. and then the Golden Suns, Saturday, Jan. 9 at 1 p.m.

Game Notes

The Broadcast
ECU's radio home for Tigers basketball in 2015-16 is Ada's KXFC, 105.5, FM 'The X-Factor'. Kenny Morrison returns to broadcast the games for his 19th season. Morrison, a 1987 ECU graduate, spent two seasons doing color prior to taking over the play-by-play duties during the 1997-98 season.  

The Coverage
Fans who can't be at the game can find links to live stats, live video (if available) and the KXFC radio broadcast on ECUTigers.com.  Go to the women's basketball schedule page. Fans can listen to the radio broadcast online or through the FREE KXFC App available in ITunes, Google Stores where apps are sold and www.kxfcradio.com.

Scouting Harding
The Bisons come into Thursday's game with a 6-2 overall record and a 4-0 mark in the GAC after winning their last three games.  HU and ECU have one common non-conference opponent this season, with both teams falling to Cameron at the beginning of the year.

The Bisons have a +10.5 scoring and +2.5 rebounding margin for the year, while shooting .380 from the field and .328 from beyond the arc.  Harding has also been smart when committing fouls, allowing their opponents to have just 130 (93 makes) free throw attempts, while going 127-177 themselves.

HU as three players that are averaging double-digits in the points column, with Sydney Layrock leading the way with 16.6 and adding 8.0 rebounds and a .398 overall shooting percentage.  A'ndrea Haney contributes 11.9 points and 4.6 boards per game while shooting .386 and recording 22 assists and 22 steals.  Lundon Williams is the final member of the trio with 10.8 points and 2.9 rebounds per game, while leading the team with a .431 overall shooting percentage and a .457 mark from three-point range.

The Series
The Bisons currently hold a 6-8 advantage in the all-time series after winning the last two meetings.  However, the Tigers are 5-2 when playing at home.

Scouting Arkansas Tech
The Golden Suns are also 6-2 overall and 4-0 in the league, but have not played since Dec. 15 when the fell to Drury 64-71.  ATU has a strong team, with a +17.4 scoring and +5.5 rebounding margin for the season.  The Golden Suns are also shooting .472 from the field and .359 from beyond the arc and holding the opposition to .373 and .293 marks.

ATU has three players with an average of over 10 points per game, with Fatima Adams leading the charge with 21.8 points and 10.3 boards per game and shooting .580 from the floor.  Anissa Pounds adds 12.1 points and 3.9 rebounds per game, while Calli White nets 10.1 points and 1.4 boards per game.

The Series
Saturday's game will be the 18th meeting in the all-time series, with ATU holding a 7-10 advantage.  The Tigers have fared better at home, with a 6-2 mark in the Kerr Activities Center.

Stotler Stepping Up
Junior Whitney Stotler has become a strong force in the paint for the Tigers this season.  She is second on the team in scoring (9.9 ppg), rebounding (6.45rpg) and shooting percentage (.395).  Stotler has also been a thorn in the side of the opposition, collecting 14 steals, the most for ECU and ranking second in the GAC.

Blakely On the Court
The Tigers got a boost from the bench last week, as sophomore Aalyiah Blakely was cleared to play after sitting out a year due to NCAA transfer rules.    In her first game for ECU she tallied seven points, five rebounds and added an assist.

Blakely came to the Tigers in the Spring 2015 semester from Oklahoma Baptist.  She saw limited action in just four games with the Bison.  Blakely is a native of Ada, Okla., where she helped the Cougars to a state tournament appearance as a senior.

Adair Making Moves
Sophomore Alexa Adair might have played in all 27 games for ECU as a freshman, but she was behind a group of five seniors and averaged just 2.7 points and 1.9 rebounds per game.  In 2015-16 she has been forced into a leading role for the Tigers and has responded, averaging 15.6 points and 4.8 rebounds per game.  Adair even set career highs in the scoring column in two-straight games, with 20 against Southern Arkansas and then 28 against Arkansas-Monticello.  She has also set new career highs for rebounds (10), field goals (9), three-point field goals (6) and free throws (6).

Playing Against Strong Competition
While Saturday's game will be the first official game of the year, the Tigers played an exhibition game against Oklahoma State.  ECU fell 49-122, but the Cowgirls shot an unusually high 73.9 percent from the field and 84.6 from beyond the arc.

ECU was led by sophomore Alexa Adair who tallied 14 points, while junior Tori Huff added nine and junior Whitney Stotler eight.

Up Next
The Tigers will get ready for their first road game since Dec. 5 when they travel to face Southwestern Oklahoma State, Jan. 14 at 5:30 p.m. in Weatherford, Okla.  ECU will then wrap up the weekend at home, Saturday, Jan. 16 against Oklahoma Baptist at 1 p.m.