Box Score

ARKADELPHIA, Ark. – Harding senior guard Stephen Blake spent most of the first half of Thursday's game with Ouachita Baptist on the bench in foul trouble. In the second half, he atoned by putting on a shooting exhibit that sent most of the Tiger faithful home early.

Blake made six second-half 3-pointers and 11-of-12 free throws in the second half to lead Harding to an 89-82 victory at Vining Arena. Blake finished with a career-high 31 points, 29 of them in the second half.

Harding improved to 17-3 overall and 7-1 in Gulg South Conference West Division play. Ouachita Baptist fell to 7-13 overall and 2-6 in conference.

Things looked bleak for the 20th-ranked Bisons at halftime. Ouachita Baptist picked up a loose ball at midcourt, and Austin Mitchell banked in a 3-pointer from 35-feet out as the buzzer sounded to give the Tigers a 42-33 lead.

Blake made two straight 3-pointers to open the second half, and Harding opened the second half on a 21-6 run over the first six minutes to take a lead it never relinquished.

Kevin Brown added 19 points and 13 rebounds for Harding. Hayden Johnson added 10.

It was the ninth straight victory for Harding over Ouachita Baptist. The Bisons won this season's earlier meeting 59-55 in Searcy on Jan. 8.

The two teams combined to make 24 3-pointers in the game, but Harding's 8-of-11 shooting from 3-point range in the second half was too much for Ouachita Baptist.

Led by Blake's 6-of-7 shooting in the second half, Harding connected on 68 percent from the field and made 18-of-22 (82 percent) from the free throw line.

Senior Jeremy Banks led Ouachita Baptist with 19 points.