SEARCY – Harding junior Bradley Spencer scored 19 points and junior Zach Roddenberry had 12 points and 12 rebounds to lead the Bisons to a 74-66 victory over Arkansas-Monticello on Thursday in Great American Conference play at Rhodes Field House.

Harding won its fourth straight at home and improved to 9-8 overall and 4-3 in conference play. The Bisons are one of four teams tied for third place in the nine-team league. Arkansas-Monticello, who lost its second straight, is 14-5 overall and among the teams at 4-3 in the GAC.

The Boll Weevils had the top scoring offense in the conference entering the game against the Bisons. UAM averaged 84.3 points but were held below 70 for only the second time this season.

Harding led 9-6 early and went on a 16-2 run over a four-minute stretch to pull ahead 25-8 on a layup by Kirk Porter with 10:56 left in the half. Arkansas-Monticello used three 3-pointers by junior Kori Forge, including one at the halftime buzzer, to cut the Harding lead to 43-37.

The Bisons extended the lead to as many as 14 points in the second half, but a layup by Ricardo Hall with 2:35 remaining trimmed the Harding led to 66-64. UAM did not score another field goal. The Bisons pulled away with two free throws from Spencer, a layup by Roddenberry, two more free throws by Weston Jameson, and a dunk by Porter to drop the hammer with 17 seconds left.

Porter had 12 points, six rebounds and five assists off the bench for the Bisons. Sophomore Hayden Johnson had 10 points.

Senior Sergio Crowe led UAM with 19 points and had seven rebounds. Forge had 18 points and made four of the Weevils' five 3-pointers. Hall added 12 points.

UAM senior L.A. Farmer came into the game averaging 21.0 points but missed his first nine shots and finished with only five points on 1-of-12 shooting.

Harding will look to make it five straight home victories Saturday when the squad hosts Henderson State for a 7:30 p.m. tipoff.