Postgame Interview with Head Coach Jeff Morgan




BARTLESVILLE, Okla. – Harding scored 20 straight points over a seven minute stretch of the first half and defeated Southern Arkansas 62-43 in the quarterfinals of the Great American Conference Tournament on Friday at Bruin Arena.

Harding (21-8), the tournament's No. 1 seed, will play the winner of the Southeastern Oklahoma-Ouachita Baptist game Saturday at 8:30 p.m. in the semifinals.

The Bisons trailed 4-1 early before going on a 20-0 run to take a 21-4 lead with 11:13 left in the first half. Southern Arkansas (10-17) made only two of its first 20 shots in the game and shot only 16 percent in the first half.

Harding led 32-13 at halftime. It was the fewest points Harding allowed an opponent in the first half of a game this season.

The Bisons extended the lead to as many as 22 points in the second half, and the Muleriders got no closer than 14.

Junior Hayden Johnson led Harding with 15 points and made all six of his free throw attempts. GAC Freshman of the Year Tony Cochran made two of Harding's five 3-pointers and scored 14 points. Senior Zach Roddenberry had 12 points on 5-of-6 shooting.

Harding shot 44.2 percent from the field and made 19-of-24 free throws (79.2 percent).

Chris Davis scored 11 points to lead Southern Arkansas, who shot 23.6 percent from the field, the lowest by a Harding opponent this season.

Southern Arkansas' point total was the fewest by a Harding opponent since the Bisons defeated Christian Brothers 62-43 in Searcy on Feb. 19, 2011.