SOUTHAVEN, Miss. – The University of West Alabama women’s basketball team fell 78-68 in its opening contest of the Gulf South Conference Tournament. UWA concludes the season at 11-17, while Harding improves to 20-9.

Valerie Harris, a Second Team All-GSC selection, led the way for the Tigers with her eighth career double-double. The senior recorded 12 points and 11 rebounds in her final game for UWA. Jenni Thomley recorded a team-best 15 points as Jessie Clark rounded out the double figure scorers with 11 points.

After falling behind 52-42 in the second half, UWA trimmed the lead to four with 6:38 to play. Senior Omeshia Frost capped the 6-2 spurt with a jumper, two of her six points on the night. HU answered with a 9-2 run which pushed the lead out to 11 points with 3:48 remaining in the contest. A pair of free throws gave HU the largest lead of the game 13 points with 2:20 left in the game. The Lady Bisons connected of five of their last six shots from the charity stripe to secure the win.

Harris scored the first six points of the game for UWA and kept the Tigers in the contest, but HU would grab a 19-14 lead over the next seven and a half minutes. A three-pointer by Clark capped a 5-1 run and gave the Tigers their first lead since the 16:12 mark at 20-19.

After a brief lead by HU, a pair of free throws from Danielle Baldwin put the Red and White back on top at 28-26. Thomley gave UWA a three point lead with under a minute to play in the opening stanza on a jumper, but the two teams headed into the locker room knotted at 32-32 on a Makala McNair trey as the first half buzzer sounded.

Harris, Frost and Baldwin conclude their UWA careers in the loss. The trio helped the Tigers to their fourth consecutive GSC Tournament and 15^th in school history.