Box Score Box Score
SEARCY, Ark. – Harding's Kirk Porter made two key baskets in overtime, and Stephen Blake hit four late free throws to lead the Bisons to an 80-75 victory over Arkansas-Monticello on Monday at Rhodes Field House.
Snow in the Searcy area last Thursday forced the Harding-Arkansas-Monticello game to be moved to Monday night.
The Rhodes Field House crowd of 1,346 saw Harding move to 5-0 for the first time in its 11 seasons in the conference. The 22nd-ranked Bisons improved to 15-2 overall and won for their sixth straight outing.
Porter led Harding with 18 points as four Bisons scored 10 or more. He shot 8-of-12 from the field and tied for the team lead with seven rebounds. Bradley Spencer had 15 points, Kevin Brown had 13, and Sam Brown had 12.
Harding trailed by seven points at halftime, but rallied to take its first lead of the second half on freshman Weston Jameson's 3-pointer with 13:28 left. The lead changed hands five times before Jameson connected on another 3-pointer at the 11:15 mark that put Harding ahead 49-47.
Arkansas-Monticello (10-7, 2-3) trailed until a Jerrell Boswell 3-pointer with 2:50 left tied the game at 59. Harding scored the next four points and led until Sergio Crowe hit a 3-pointer with four seconds remaining in regulation to tie the game at 67. Stephen Blake's running 3-point attempt from near half court hit the back rim as the buzzer sounded.
Porter gave Harding the lead in overtime with a jumper to open the scoring. Again Arkansas-Monticello came back and tied the game three times, the last at 75 with 1:22 left. Harding took the lead for good on Porter's free throw, and UAM did not score the rest of the game.
Blake and Sam Brown both made a pair of free throws down the stretch to seal the win.
Harding was 9-of-11 from the free throw line in overtime, after shooting only 11-of-20 from the line during regulation.
Junior Sergio Crowe had 23 points and 13 rebounds to lead Arkansas-Monticello. LA Farmer played all 45 minutes and scored 15 points despite shooting only 5-of-20 from the field. Ricardo Hall had 13 points.
Harding plays its third game in six days Thursday when it travels to Russellville, Ark., to meet Arkansas Tech.
