SEARCY – Harding plays its second home game in three days Saturday when it hosts Central Baptist at 7:30 p.m. at the Rhodes Field House. The Bisons have won seven straight home games 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 below the game on the calendar on the front page.
HARDING'S PROBABLE STARTERS
NOTES ON THE HARDING-CENTRAL BAPTIST GAME
Harding enters the game with a 6-1 record after defeating Champion Baptist 90-33 on Thursday in non-conference action. The 33 points allowed was the fewest by a Harding team since the school reinstated basketball in 1957, breaking the previous record of 36, last set against Arkansas Baptist in 2000.
Harding shot a season-best 57.8 percent from the field against Champion Baptist. It was the fourth time in seven games that the Bisons shot 50 percent or better. Of players averaging at least five shots per game, Harding's top shooter this season is Kevin Brown, shooting 61 percent from the field. Bradley Spencer is just behind him at 59 percent.
Harding senior guard Stephen Blake made both of his three-point shots against Champion Baptist and is now shooting 70.6 percent (12-of-17) from three-point range this season, the best percentage in the Gulf South Conference.
Central Baptist, in its first season as a member of the NAIA and located in Conway, Ark., enters Saturday's game with a 3-6 record. The Mustangs are coming off a 78-56 exhibition loss to Northwestern State (La.). Tommy Williams led Central Baptist with 21 points.
Harding is coached by Jeff Morgan, in his 18th season as head coach of the Bisons. He has a 295-194 record. Josh Austin is in his fifth season as head coach at Central Baptist.
Harding holds a 7-0 series lead over Central Baptist in a series that began in 2001 and has been contested each time in Searcy. The Bisons won last season's meeting 97-76 on Dec. 12. Harding has averaged 95 points per game during the series.
Harding has several players among the leaders in the Gulf South Conference in various categories: Stephen Blake ranks 19th in scoring (13.4 points per game), fifth in free throw percentage (85.7%), and first in three-point field goal percentage (70.6%).
Kevin Brown is ninth in field goal percentage (60.9%), Weston Jameson is 10th in steals (1.7 steals per game), and Hayden Johnson is eighth in three-point field goal percentage (50.0%)
Senior Kevin Brown ranks second at Harding in career blocked shots with 102. He is just five blocks behind Harding's career leader Brent Adams, who had 106 from 1994-99. Brown is also eighth in career steals with 129. He needs 17 more to reach Tim Smallwood (1984-88) for seventh at 146.
