Blake Scores Career High in Bison Victory

By Amanda Pruitt

Sophomore Stephen Blake made 5-of-6 three-point attempts Friday.

Box Score SEARCY — The Harding Bisons rolled out to a 17-point lead in the opening seven minutes of Friday's game and never looked back, defeating Alabama-Huntsville 78-57 on the opening night of the Harding Classic at the Rhodes Field House.

Sophomore Stephen Blake hit five three-pointers and scored a career-high 21 points for Harding (7-1). Sophomore Kevin Brown made 8-of-11 field goals to finish with 18 points as Harding completed the season sweep against Alabama-Huntsville (3-4), an East Division member of the Gulf South Conference.

The Bisons opened with game scoring the first 10 points. Alabama-Huntsville was held scoreless until Josh Magette made a layup with 16:33 left in the first half. The Bisons then scored the next nine points, capped by a layup by junior Trent Morgan to give Harding a 19-2 lead.

Harding made 10 of its first 11 shots and led 37-24 by halftime.

Harding Coach Jeff Morgan said his team's defense helped the Bisons build the lead early in the game, turning Alabama-Huntsville's mistakes into fast-break layup opportunities. Harding scored 15 points off turnovers in the first half.

“We're not a pretty team offensively, so if we can get some things off our defense, that can really help us,” Morgan said.

Blake, who transfered from North Arkansas College this season, had made 7-of-17 three-pointers coming into Friday's game, but he made 5-of-6 shots from three-point range Friday.

“That's the Stephen we've been seeing every day in practice,” Morgan said.

Blake's previous career best was 14 points, scored in the first matchup this season against Alabama-Huntsville.

“I've kind of struggled in the first few games,” Blake said. “I've had good looks but I haven't been able to make anything. It felt good to see that hard work pay off in a big win for us.”

The Bisons hit 29-of-48 shots (60.4 percent), which ranked seventh in Harding history in field goal percentage for a game. Harding also had seven blocks — including four by senior Brian Howard — good for fourth all-time.

Senior Steven Barnett finished with 11 points. Trent Morgan, who leads the Bisons with 18 points per game, scored 10 points; Howard also scored 10 points.

Sophomore Tyler Hanback led Alabama-Huntsville with 11 points.

Harding will face North Alabama, the 15th-ranked team in Division II, Saturday at 7:30 p.m. The other matchup of the Harding Classic features Southern Arkansas and Alabama-Huntsville and is scheduled for 3:30 p.m.

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