RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. – The University of Arkansas at Monticello women's basketball team lost its first game of the 2019-20 season when it fell on the road at Arkansas Tech University on Saturday. Berniezha Tidwell led UAM scorers with 20 points while also tallying five rebounds and two assists in the loss.
 
UAM really struggled to get going offensively shooting just 32.4 percent from the floor and 14.3 percent from three-point range. The Blossoms were also just 8-of-16 at the free-throw line.
 
The Golden Suns led the entire contest scoring right from the beginning. With UAM struggling to score in the first quarter, ATU took advantage with a couple timely threes. Jaida Muhammad would drain a three to make it a nine-point deficit, but UAM would trail the Golden Suns, 22-13 to finish the first.
 
Arkansas Tech got its lead back to double-digits to start the second quarter and kept its lead to at least 10 for the entirety of the period. With 1:10 left in the quarter, Mackenzie Tillman hit a jumper to make it a 36-26, but a couple free throws by Tech to conclude the half would make it a 12-point lead at the intermission.
 
The Blossoms got some fight in them in the second half and made it a tight ballgame to conclude the third quarter. With under two minutes to play, UAM cut the lead to five points when Mekaylan Hicks got to the line and hit a pair of free throws. After three points by Tech, Tidwell hit a big jumper to make it a six-point deficit to conclude the third quarter.
 
The Golden Suns got a basket back to start the fourth, but Tidwell answered with a bucket in the paint. However, ATU would go on an eight-point run with the clock under five minutes, and unfortunately, UAM would not recover. The Blossoms fell, 72-57.
 
Tidwell led all scorers with 20 points while adding five rebounds and two assists.
 
Hicks registered a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds.
 
With the loss, UAM falls to 7-1 overall and 2-1 in Great American Conference games while Arkansas Tech improves to 5-2 overall and 2-1 in GAC contests.
 
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The Blossoms will be back in play on Saturday when they host Henderson State University at the Steelman Field House at 2 p.m.