SEARCY, ARK. – After having almost a month off, the East Central University women's basketball team returned to the court and fell 67-74 to Harding in Great American Conference road action.

The Tigers (2-7, 1-4 GAC) were paced by junior Devon Branch with 21 points and five rebounds.  Sophomore Tia Williams added a career-best 16 points, while senior Whitney Stotler netted 12 points and a team-high six rebounds and three blocks.

The Tigers had a slow start, falling behind 3-6 in the first two minutes of the game.  However, ECU fought back to tie the game at eight, less than two minutes later (6:35) and kept up the pressure to take a 12-10 advantage (3:34). 

While the Bisons (8-2, 5-0 GAC) were able to cut the run with a free throw, the Tigers pushed their lead out to four (15-11) before Harding scored its next basket, with 31 seconds left in the quarter, to end with ECU leading 15-13.

The second quarter was a back-and-forth battle with seven lead changes and three tie scores during the 10-minute span before it ended with the Bisons holding a four-point advantage (30-34).

Harding increased its lead out to six in the opening minutes of the second half, but the Tigers were not done fighting and pushed back with an 8-2 run to tie the game at 41, with 5:38 left in the third quarter.  Harding regained the lead and held it for the rest of the quarter.  However, ECU kept the difference within two possessions and went into the final stanza trailing by three (51-54).

The Tigers kept things close for the first two minutes, but the Bisons were then able to push the advantage and build the lead out to double-digits, with three minutes left to play, and finished with a 67-74 win.

Both teams had strong games shooting, with the Tigers leading the way by making 24-of-48 (50%) shots.  The Bisons added a 45.5% (25-of-55) mark.  ECU held a 10 to seven advantage in three point shots, but Harding earned the key advantage at the charity stripe.  The Bisons went 17-of-24, while holding the Tigers to a 9-of -13 mark.

ECU will remain on the road for their next outing, Saturday, Jan. 7 at 1 p.m. at Arkansas Tech.