SEARCY – The marathon begins Saturday at 3 p.m. in the Rhodes Field House.

Harding men's basketball will play the first of 20 Great American Conference games against Southwestern Oklahoma to begin a very long conference season for both teams. The game will air live on HardingSports.com.

The Bisons are off to a 2-1 start in three non-conference games, including a 100-89 victory over Northeastern State on Tuesday at Rhodes. It was Harding's first 100-point game since a 100-88 win over Delta State in 2010 and the Bisons' seventh win in eight home games against Northeastern State.

Junior transfer Johnthan McGee, who had scored 12 total points in Harding's first two games, led the Bisons with 28 points against Northeastern State. He was a perfect 10-of-10 from the free-throw line.

Junior Andraz Kavas had 23 points and 13 rebounds against the RiverHawks and is Harding's leading scorer at 18.0 points per game. Kavas is shooting 58 percent from the field and has made 16-of-21 free throws.

Free throws have been key to Harding's early success. The Bisons have made 24 more free throws (56) than their three opponents have attempted (32). Harding made 31 free throws in the win against Northeastern State, while the RiverHawks made only six.

Southwestern Oklahoma enters the game 2-1 as well after splitting last weekend at the SBU Classic and defeating Southwestern Christian 74-71 on Tuesday at the Pioneer Cellular Event Center.

Martell Collins is leading the Bulldogs and tied for second in the GAC with an average of 21.7 points per game through three games.

Harding leads the series with Southwestern Oklahoma 7-6 and has won six straight meetings in Searcy.