UAFS Coach Whorton gets 600th win in conference opener

The University of Arkansas at Fort Smith women’s basketball coach Louis Whorton etched another milestone in what has been a legendary college coaching career on Thursday night, earning his 600th career win.

Freshman forward Justyne Huber posted a double-double to lead the Lady Lions to a 59-55 Heartland Conference win against the Oklahoma Christian Lady Eagles at the Stubblefield Center.

UAFS (3-10, 3-4) snapped a three-game losing streak in winning the opening game of the two-game, home-and-home series with Oklahoma Christian (5-6, 1-4), which is a provisional NCAA Division II member.

Whorton, who has spent his entire 28-year college coaching career at UAFS, has compiled a 600-252 win-loss record that includes a NJCAA Division I National Championship and one NJCAA National Runner-up finish.

He is the winningest Lady Lions basketball coach and is a member of the NJCAA Women’s Basketball Coaches Hall of Fame.

Huber scored 20 points and grabbed a team-high 13 rebounds to lead the Lady Lions, who trailed 31-30 at halftime. UAFS shot just 30 percent from the field (20 for 66) – it was only 4-for-20 shooting from 3-point range – and shot 79 percent from the free-throw line (15 for 19).