ADA, Okla. – The East Central University women's basketball team bounced back in a big way on Thursday night, dominating Arkansas Tech University 63-44 in their Great American Conference matchup at the Kerr Activities Center.
 
With the win, the Tigers improve to 5-8 overall and 3-6 in conference play, returning to the win column. Meanwhile, ATU drops to 3-10 overall and 1-8 in GAC action.
 
From the opening tip, ECU took control and never looked back. Chloe Malone's early layup set the tone, and after a quick response from the Golden Suns, Claira Dannefer's layup gave the Tigers a lead they would not give up. ECU's balanced offensive attack and strong defense resulted in a commanding 20-8 lead after the first quarter, with the Golden Suns shooting just 3-for-12 from the field while ECU shot 9-for-19.
 
The Tigers continued to shine in the second quarter, with Eva Fernandez attacking the paint and Kayley Alt and Katie Edelen hitting from beyond the arc. ECU's defense was stifling, limiting Arkansas Tech to just five points in the quarter, and the Tigers entered halftime with a comfortable 37-13 lead.
 
Despite a slight improvement from the Golden Suns in the third period, ECU kept their foot on the gas, maintaining a commanding 54-32 lead heading into the final quarter. A 5-0 run to start the fourth pushed the Tigers' advantage to as much as 27 points at 59-32. While Arkansas Tech managed to chip away at the deficit, ECU remained in control, ultimately sealing the 63-44 victory.
 
The Tigers dominated across the board, holding significant advantages in shooting (42.9% to 24.5%), rebounding (43-34), points in the paint (32-10), and bench scoring (28-11).
 
Katie Edelen led ECU with 16 points and a team-high seven rebounds, while Eva Fernandez added 14 points and five assists, and Kayley Alt chipped in 11 points, including three three-pointers.
 
Next up for the Tigers is a home game on Saturday, Jan. 18, at 1 p.m. against Harding University.