AUSTIN, Texas – The senior trio of LEXI FATHEREE, SHAKERA BARNES and KHIANI CLARK combined for 63 points Thursday in a 71-69 win over Arkansas Fort Smith.
 
Fatheree led all scorers with a career-high 33 points. She also broke the program record for single-game free throw percentage, going 14-for-14 from the line. Barnes added 20 points and four assists. Clark finished with 10 points and seven boards.
 
St. Edward's (16-7, 12-2 Heartland) is one win away from clinching a share of the Heartland Conference regular season title. UA Fort Smith (14-11, 9-5 Heartland) falls to fourth place in the league standings.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Hilltoppers came out hot, shooting 61 percent from the floor in the first quarter.
• Fatheree scored 11 points in the opening period to help St. Edward's to a 19-18 lead.
• UA Fort Smith went on a 7-0 run early in the second quarter to take a 28-22 lead.
• St. Edward's defense took over as the Lady Lions failed to score a field goal in the final 6:01 of the first half.
• Fatheree scored 12 more points in the second quarter to open up a 40-35 lead.
• St. Edward's cooled off in the third quarter, shooting 36 percent from the field.
• An 8-0 run for UA Fort Smith with 6:15 to play helped the visitors to a 53-52 lead heading into the final period.
• Barnes took over the fourth quarter with 12 points on 4-of-8 shooting to give the Hilltoppers a 65-60 lead with 2:29 to play.
• Fatheree closed it out by going 6-for-6 from the free throw line.

 
HILLTOPPER NOTES

• St. Edward's has won two of its last three against the Lady Lions but trails the all-time series 10-8.
• Head Coach J.J. Riehl tied her own record for most Heartland Conference wins in a single season with 12.
• The Hilltoppers forced 18 Lady Lion turnovers while committing just eight of their own.
• Fatheree accounted for St. Edward's lone 3-pointer of the night as the team went 1-for-8 from behind the arc.

 
QUOTE BOARD: HEAD COACH J.J. RIEHL
"The seniors were huge tonight. There was a point in the fourth quarter when I looked over the floor and I thought we have a lot of work to do next year. The seniors carried us. That's what seniors do. In big moments they step up and those three did that."
 
UP NEXT
St. Edward's hosts its homecoming game Saturday at 1 p.m. against Rogers State. Live stats and video will be available at GoHilltoppers.com.
 
GAME INFORMATION
Score: St. Edward's 71, UA Fort Smith 69
Records: St. Edward's (16-7, 12-2 Heartland), UA Fort Smith (14-11, 9-5 Heartland)
Leading Scorers: St. Edward's-Fatheree (33), UA Fort Smith-Dickerson (21)
Attendance: 301
 
HEARTLAND CONFERENCE STANDINGS
Team                       Conference              Overall
St. Edward's             12-2                           16-7
St. Mary's                  10-3                           18-5
Lubbock Christian     9-4                             14-10
UA Fort Smith           9-5                             14-11
Oklahoma Christian  9-5                             14-12
Newman                    7-7                             17-9
Rogers State             3-11                            8-17
TAMU-International  2-11                             2-21
Panhandle State       0-13                            1-20
 
 
For the latest information on the St. Edward's University Women's Basketball team, follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at @SEUWBasketball, or visit us at www.GoHilltoppers.com.