ADA, Okla. – The East Central University women's basketball team closed the weekend with a home GAC matchup against Arkansas Tech University, falling 87-59 Saturday afternoon.
 
ECU drops to 3-7 overall and 0-6 in conference play.
 
"We gave great effort in the second quarter to cut the game to six going into the half. We defended and executed offensively," Interim Head Coach Heather Hurt said. "Coming out of halftime, it was a completely different game."
 
The Tigers struggled to find a rhythm against a tough Golden Suns defense as ECU shot just 26.2% from the floor and the three-point range. ATU also won the rebounding battle grabbing 50 total boards to ECU's  29.
 
The Golden Suns got the scoring going in the first quarter and eventually stretched their lead to 16-9 at the end of the period. Down 25-13 in the second quarter with less than six minutes to go, a made free throw from Mackenzie Crusoe, and a layup by Ashlyn Evans-Thompson picked up the Tiger offense, and they clawed their way back to within six at 33-27 heading into the break.
 
ATU started to pull away for good in the third quarter as they held ECU to just one made shot to close the quarter 63-36. In the end, the Golden Suns went on to win 87-59.
 
"We have a lot to improve on each day in practice," said Hurt. "Offensively, we need to find our rhythm and figure out how to score efficiently. I need to put them in a better position to be successful, and that will start on Monday."
 
Kennedy Allison scored in double figures with 16 points to lead the Tigers. She was 4-for-8 from the floor and 7-for-8 from the free throw line while adding a team-high eight boards.
 
Izzy Cummins was next with eight points, going 3-for-10 from the field. Gabby Cummins scored seven points, while Ashlyn Evans-Thompson, Kennedy Cummings, and Kacey Fishinghawk each had six.
 
The East Central University women's basketball team will hit the road to Magnolia, AR to take on Southern Arkansas University Thursday, Jan. 12 at 5:30 p.m.