Harding Game Notes

Harding Men's Basketball

Harding (2-2) vs. #6 Midwestern State (5-0) and #21 Northeastern State (4-1)

Location: Tucker Coliseum, Russellville, Ark.

Time: 4 p.m. on Nov. 29, 2 p.m. on Nov. 30

Series:  Midwestern State leads Harding 1-0, Northeastern State leads Harding 9-8

Coaches: Harding – Jeff Morgan (351-225, 21st season at HU; 368-235, 22nd season overall); Midwestern State - Nelson Haggerty (56-13, 3rd season); Northeastern State - Larry Gipson (336-262, 22nd season)

Live Stats/Audio/Video: Available through a link on HardingSports.com

Radio: None on Nov. 29, KVHU-95.3 FM on Nov. 30

• Harding will take on two nationally-ranked opponents on Friday and Saturday at the Arkansas Tech Classic in Russellville. The Bisons meet #6 Midwestern State on Friday and #21 Northeastern State on Saturday.

• The Bisons are 15-28 all-time against NCAA ranked opponents. Harding is 4-3 against ranked teams at neutral sites and have won four straight, including a 68-66 victory over 10th-ranked Northwest Missouri State last season in Hawaii.

• Harding is coming off an 85-76 overtime loss to Christian Brothers on Tuesday in Memphis. The Bucs made one 3-pointer and 18 free throws in a 21-point overtime. Jacob Gibson led Harding with a career-high 17 points.

• Midwestern State enters the Classic 5-0 after a 72-61 victory over Oklahoma City on Monday. The Mustangs shot 50 percent from the field and limited Oklahoma City to only 38 percent shooting. Four players had 10 or more points.

• Northeastern State is coming off an 83-49 blowout loss at Arkansas-Fort Smith on Saturday. The RiverHawks shot only 2-of-17 from 3-point range and were outscored 22-6 off turnovers. Bryton Hobbs led Northeastern State with 12 points.

• Harding and Midwestern State are meeting for the second time. The Mustangs defeated the Bisons 77-54 in Searcy on Nov. 21, 1998. Harding shot just 30% from the field and made only 9-of-18 free throws. Levern Floyd was the only Bison in double figures with 13 points. Richard Johnson led Midwestern State with 15 points.

• Northeastern State and Harding are meeting for the 18th time with the RiverHawks holding a 9-8 advantage. Northeastern State defeated Harding  72-66 on Nov. 16 in Tahlequah in the first meeting between the teams this season.

• Harding and Northeastern State will be meeting for the third time at a neutral site. The teams have split those games. Northeastern State defeated Harding 66-53 on Dec. 19, 1980 at the College of the Ozarks Tournament in Point Lookout, Mo. Harding's neutral site win came 53-48 at the Buffalo Thanksgiving Classic in Canyon, Texas on Nov. 23, 2007.

• Harding enters the Classic as the top-ranked free throw shooting team in the GAC. The Bisons are shooting 81.2 percent from the line. Hayden Johnson (23), Andraz Kavas (20), and Weston Jameson (16) have combined to make 59 of Harding's 82 free throws (72 percent).

• Harding was selected second in the GAC Preseason Coaches Poll. The Bisons were behind only Arkansas Tech in the poll.

• Harding tied its single-game school record for 3-point attempts with 36 against Northeastern State on Nov. 16. The last time the Bisons' attempted 36 3-pointers was on Nov. 19, 2005 against Missouri-Rolla (now Missouri S&T).

• Midwestern State is a member of the NCAA Division II Lone Star Conference and is located in Wichita Falls, Texas.

• Midwestern State enters the Classic 5-0 and ranked No. 6 in the latest NABC Top 25 Poll. The Mustangs are led by Monzaigo Williams, who averages 18.2 points. He has made 15 of the Mustangs' 39 3-pointers. Midwestern State shoots well from the field (45.3%) and from 3-point rage (37.9%), but poorly from the free throw line (61.5%).

• Northeastern State is a member of the NCAA Division II Mid-American Intercollegiate Athletics Association and is located in Tahlequah, Okla.

• Northeastern State opened with four straight wins before falling 83-49 to Arknasas-Fort Smith on Nov. 23 in its first road game. Bryton Hobbs has led the RiverHawks in scoring in all five games and is averaging 22.2 points. Northeastern State is shooting a staggering 51.3 percent from the field but have made only 33 3-pointers in five games. The RiverHawks are outscoring their opponents 107-71 at the free throw line.