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Harding Extends Winning Streak To Eight In Upset Victory

By Amanda Pruitt

Senior Steven Barnett scored 16 points and had a season-high 10 assists Saturday
Box Score Box score

SEARCY — The Harding Bisons tied a school-record eight consecutive victories in an 80-66 upset victory over 15th-ranked North Alabama on Saturday night at the Rhodes Field House.

Harding (8-1) trailed by as many as 11 points on a pair of free throws by Corey Speight with 11:14 left in the half. Senior Steven Barnett scored a layup to cut the lead to 17-8, and sophomore Sam Brown was fouled on a made three-pointer. He completed the rare four-point play with a free throw as Harding trailed 17-12 with 9:42 left.

Junior Matt Garner, who had averaged only nine minutes of play per game this year, helped Harding's first-half rally. He scored 11 points in the first half, six of them from three-pointers.

Garner hit a layup with 1:37 left in the have to give Harding a 38-35 lead going into halftime.

“I told Matt last night, 'Just be ready to go when we call your number,'” Harding coach Jeff Morgan said. “He came in and just keeps working hard. He and Sam had a major part of cutting that 1-point lead.

“We just have some warriors over here. They just keep playing hard. I don't know if we'll be able to keep it up all season, but I like where we're at right now.”

Junior Trent Morgan made only one shot Saturday night, but it was an important one. Morgan hit a three-pointer to give Harding a 48-47 lead with 14:09 remaining in the game. Harding never trailed again and eventually increased its lead to 17 points on a layup by sophomore Kevin Brown with 3:16 left.

Brown tied a season-high with 25 points before fouling out with two minutes remaining, and Howard collected a team-leading 11 rebounds before picking up his fifth foul with Harding leading 77-64. Barnett scored 18 points and had a season-high 10 assists.

The Bisons had won eight consecutive games from Dec. 4, 1995, until Jan. 13, 1996, which was one of two times Harding reached the NAIA National Tournament. Saturday's victory also marked Harding's 10th consecutive victory at home dating back to conference play last season.

“I love coming to practice every day and being out here with these guys,” Morgan said. “It's just been a fun stretch.”

Harding dressed out nine players, something the Bisons have done all season. North Alabama had nine seniors on the roster Saturday, not counting the rest of the team.

“I don't know if we had a whole lot left, but we squeezed every bit of the juice out of the orange that we could,” Morgan said. “I don't know if I've ever been as proud of a team. ... They've focused more and more every night over these last two weeks.”

North Alabama (7-3), the team picked to win the East Division of the Gulf South Conference, struggled shooting the entire game. The Lions made only 18-of-69 shots (26.1 percent), including 28 missed three-pointers.

Kenny Johnson led North Alabama with 19 points, and Isaac Gay added 16 points.

Harding will play again Dec. 20 in San Antonio, Texas, against Southeastern Oklahoma at 5:15 p.m. The next home game will be Jan. 5 against Texas College at 7:30 p.m., which will be the final game before the GSC schedule begins.
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