The UNA women’s basketball team opened the Gulf South Conference March 3 at the Desoto Civic Center in Southaven, Miss., against GSC West team Harding, and fell 67-58, but this loss did not stop the Lions from grabbing an invite to the regional tournament.

The women put forth a great effort, as the score was tied at eight different points in the game and the lead changed five times. Sanqueeta Meardith was the leading scorer for UNA with 15 points and also pulled down three rebounds, while Niala Harris had 12 points and eight rebounds and Dana Jackson added 10 points.

Both Harris and Meardith were given All-GSC Honors, with Harris being named first team and Meardith named second team. Coach Terry Fowler was also named GSC East Coach of the Year.

“I can’t fault our effort,” Fowler said. “I thought we played really hard, but at the end of the day we just could not get it done. Our shots didn’t fall for us, and we didn’t play as much as a team as we had played all year-and those things are disappointing.”

One aspect of the game that hurt the UNA scoring drive was the fact that Harris, who is known for her scoring (seven double-doubles and named GSC East Player of the Week four times this year), was shut down in the paint.

Therefore, Harding’s defense would force turnovers as the UNA offense would attempt to give Harris the ball.

“Harding’s deal was they were not going to let her [Harris] get the ball, and they knew by covering her down low they would give up some perimeter shots,” said Fowler.

“We started off early making the outside shots; late we didn’t. It kept shrinking in around Niala and we couldn’t get our offense going because we like to play inside-outwards and we were not able to do that,” said Fowler.

JD Byars, the voice of the UNA Lions, had nothing but hope going into the GSC Tournament that we would still have opportunities for region play.

“The girls had that look [after the game] like they weren’t done with the season and were just unsatisfied,” said Byars. “It’s been a special year, ending regular season play 21-5, despite an opening loss in the GSC Tournament; it doesn’t appear the season is over by any stretch.”

Coach Fowler agreed with Byars, as he felt incomplete at the end of the game, hoping that the cards would be played right and they would be in the top eight, therefore advancing for a chance to win a National Championship.

“In the locker room after the game, it didn’t feel like it was a final game for us,” said Fowler. “We felt like we will play again. It was more of a shock really because it has been so long since we lost a game.”

It has been confirmed by Coach Fowler that the seventh-seed-ranked women will face the No. 2 seed Delta State in the NCAA Division II South Region Tournament Friday, March 11, at 3:30 p.m. in Russellville, Ark. on the campus of the No. 1 seed’s Arkansas Tech.

The women’s team has not been involved in region play since 1994.