SEARCY – Winners of its last six games, Harding will host 6th-ranked Alabama-Huntsville on Friday at 7:30 p.m., and North Alabama on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. The Bisons have won nine straight at home dating to last season.
ON THE WEB: Live video, live audio and live statistics will all be available for the game on HardingSports.com. The links are available on the site's front page.
Harding enters the weekend with a 9-1 record and are coming off a six-day break that followed a 79-53 victory over Missouri S&T last Saturday at the Rhodes Field House. The Bisons' current six-game winning streak is the longest in the Gulf South Conference.
Harding shot over 50 percent for the fifth time this season in the win over Missouri S&T and made 10 three-pointers for the second straight game. The Bisons also had a season-low 12 turnovers in the game and won the rebounding battle 36-21.
Alabama-Huntsville, ranked sixth in Division II, enters the game with a 10-1 record. The Chargers only loss came to Lynn, 85-77, in a neutral-site game in Valdosta, Ga. UAH opened the season with eight straight victories. The team is coming off an 83-76 victory over Arkansas Tech on Thursday in Russellville, Ark.
The Chargers were second in Division II in field goal percentage (55.3) and ninth in three-point field goal percentage (42.8) in the most recent NCAA national rankings.
North Alabama is 4-6 coming into the weekend. The Lions play Arkansas Tech on Friday in Russellville. UNA is coming off a 73-60 home victory over Ouachita Baptist last Saturday. UNA's opponents have shot 46 percent from the field this season, the highest percentage against any GSC team.
Harding senior
Stephen Blake is off to a great start for the Bisons through 10 games. Blake leads Harding in scoring with 13.2 points per game. He has shot 60 percent (18-of-30) from three-point range, third in the GSC, and 85.7 percent (42-of-49), fourth in the GSC. He also leads Harding in assists (25) and is second in steals (14).
Alabama-Huntsville has one of the top point guards in Division II in junior Josh Magette. He is third on the team in scoring (13.0 points per game), and ranks third in the nation in assists (8.3 per game). His 3.79 assist-to-turnover ratio ranks second in the GSC.
North Alabama junior Beaumont Beasley ranks second on the team in scoring (11.6 points per game) and is among the GSC leaders in assists (4th, 4.5) and steals (4th, 2.2).
Harding continues to lead the GSC with 213 free throws made, 33 more than any other team in the conference. The Bisons have made seven more free throws (213) than their opponents have shot (206). Harding sophomore
Bradley Spencer leads the GSC in free throw shooting at 90 percent (18-of-20).
The Bisons are also second in the conference in field goal percentage defense (38.7 percent). Harding's opponents have not shot over 50 percent since the first game of the season. That stat could be tested against Alabama-Huntsville, which leads the GSC in field goal percentage (55.3).
Harding is coached by
Jeff Morgan, in his 18th season as head coach of the Bisons. Morgan has a 297-195 record at Harding. He is 7-7 in his career against Alabama-Huntsville and 8-4 against North Alabama. Lennie Acuff is in his 14th season at UAH and has a 234-142 record. Bobby Champage is in his eighth season at UNA and has a 121-96 record.
