SEARCY – Harding men's basketball opens a three-game home stand Thursday as it hosts East Central at Rhodes Field House for a 7:30 p.m. tipoff.

Harding enters the game 11-8 overall and 6-3 in conference play. The Bisons have won their last three and four of their last five. Harding trails only Henderson State (8-2) and Arkansas Tech (7-2) in the Great American Conference standings.

The Bisons enter the game with a five-game home winning streak, including all four of their conference home games.

The play of junior Bradley Spencer has been an important factor Harding's recent success. Spencer has led the Bisons in scoring in each of the last three games. During that stretch, he has averaged 18.3 points, 5.3 assists and 2.7 steals while shooting 53 percent from the field, 45 percent from 3-point range and 94 percent at the free throw line.

East Central enters the game 4-16 overall and at the bottom of the GAC with a 1-9 conference record. The Tigers lost their first eight conference games before defeating Ouachita Baptist 75-70 at home on Feb. 2. East Central is winless in six road conference games.

Harding and East Central are meeting for the second time this season. The Bisons won the first game 78-71 in Ada, Okla., on Jan. 12. Junior Zach Roddenberry led Harding with 23 points, and sophomore Hayden Johnson added 22. The Bisons shot 59 percent and outscored the Tigers 50-32 in the paint.

Caprest Rhone, East Central's leading scorer at 13.9 points per game, led the Tigers with 16 points and six assists in the first meeting with the Bisons.