Harding Game Notes

SEARCY – Harding men's basketball will look for its first 5-0 start since the 1995-96 season Thursday when it hosts undefeated Northeastern State at 7:30 p.m., at Rhodes Field House.

The game will air live in Searcy on KVHU 95.3-FM with Billy Morgan and Scott Goode on the call. Live audio, video and statistics will also be available on HardingSports.com.

Harding has played each of its first four games at home and is coming off a 68-63 overtime victory over 12th-ranked Christian Brothers on Monday. Senior Bradley Spencer led the Bisons with 22 points and four steals, and senior Zach Roddenberry had 19 points and 13 rebounds.

Roddenberry has been instrumental in Harding's early success, averaging 21.5 points and 10.3 rebounds, both the highest averages among Great American Conference players. He has two double-doubles in the Bisons' four games.

Spencer, who attempted a career-high 16 field goal attempts against Christian Brothers, has a pair of 22-point efforts thus far. He ranks seventh among GAC players with 16.3 points per game and is ninth with 6.8 rebounds per game.

Northeastern State, a member of the NCAA Division II Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association, enters the game 5-0 overall and coming off an 83-77 victory at Northwestern Oklahoma State on Saturday. The RiverHawks are undefeated through five games for the first time since the 2005-06 season.

Both teams have shot the ball exceptionally well. Harding leads all GAC teams in 3-point field goal percentage (41.2 percent) and free throw percentage (77.3 percent). Northeastern State leads the MIAA in all three shooting categories. The RiverHawks are shooting an astounding 56.0 percent from the field, 46.6 percent from 3-point range, and 87.9 percent at the free throw line.

Both teams lead their respective conferences in 3-pointers made per game, Harding with 10.0 and Northeastern State with 8.2.

Junior guard Bryton Hobbs, a transfer from Pratt (Kan.) Community College, leads the RiverHawks and ranks fourth in the MIAA with 19.2 points per game. He is shooting a team-best 62.7 percent and leads the MIAA with 5.4 assists per game.

Harding and Northeastern State are meeting for the 16th time with the RiverHawks leading the series 8-7. The Bisons have won five of the six meetings in Searcy and have won the last two at Rhodes Field House.

The Northeastern State game is Harding's last before starting GAC play on Saturday against Southern Nazarene. Tip-off for that game will be at 4 p.m.