Arkansas Tech, tied for first place, edges UAM women, 75-69 | Pine Bluff Commercial News

Despite a double-double from Taleigha Ealy, the University of Arkansas at Monticello women’s basketball team failed to complete a comeback against conference co-leader Arkansas Tech on Monday night in Russellville.

The Golden Suns never trailed in a 75-69 win over UAM at Tucker Coliseum, remaining tied with Harding atop the Great American Conference with six games to go.

The Cotton Blossoms (6-16, 1-15 Great American), the last-place team by five games behind Southern Arkansas, have lost six in a row, but not before Ealy led them with 13 points and 12 rebounds Monday. Jena Warden scored a game-high 21 points, while Alindsey Long added 10 points in the loss.

The Blossoms had to dig out of a 23-12 deficit after the first quarter and 43-31 hole at halftime. They shot just 2 for 11 (18.2%) from three-point range, attempting no shots from the perimeter in the second quarter and missing on two attempts in the third.

UAM outrebounded Arkansas Tech 39-37, with Ealy gaining half of her rebounds on the offensive glass. The Blossoms scored 13 second-chance points and were just outscored in the paint, 40-36.

Arkansas Tech’s largest lead was 43-24 with 2:47 left in the first half. A jumpshot by Nicole Weaver with 29 seconds left in the period capped a 7-0 run for the Blossoms.

A 71-59 lead for the Golden Suns (17-3, 13-3) with 2:22 remaining in the game quickly dwindled to 71-68 after Long made a three-point basket with 41 seconds to go. That would be the Blossoms’ last field goal, as Logan Young made the next four free throws for the Suns.

Young went 12 for 12 at the line and led the Suns with 20 points. Jadah Pickens added 19 points, followed by AbbiGrace Cunningham with 14 points and Dessie McCarty with 11.

MEN: Arkansas Tech 73, UAM 62

Also Monday in Russellville, David Elliott IV scored 21 points and made six assists to lead the Wonder Boys past the Boll Weevils.

Aiden Underdown had 16 points, making 6 of 7 shots from the floor and 4 of 4 free throws to match Elliott’s clip from the foul line. Colton Davis added 14 points for Arkansas Tech (8-14, 6-10).

Isaac Jackson totaled 17 points and eight rebounds, Jakob Zenon 13 points, Ashton Price 12 and Giancarlo Valdez 10 for the Weevils (9-13, 5-11), who lost two in a row.

Arkansas Tech led by as many as 20 points with 5:56 remaining, but that didn’t stop the Weevils from making their longest rally of the night, a 9-0 run.

UAM will continue its in-state rivalry week with games at Southern Arkansas in Magnolia on Thursday and against Henderson State in Monticello on Saturday. The women’s games will begin at 5:30 p.m. Thursday and 1 p.m. Saturday, with the men to follow.