Harding Game Notes
Henderson State Game Notes

Harding (3-5, 1-2) vs. Henderson St. (6-3, 3-1)
Dec. 13, 2014 • Rhodes Field House • Searcy, Ark. • 7:30 p.m.

HOW TO FOLLOW
Radio: KVHU 95.3-FM
Internet:
    Audio: www.HardingSports.com
    Video: www.HardingSports.com
Live Stats: www.HardingSports.com

THE COACHES
Jeff Morgan, Harding
    at Harding: 367-242 (21st season)
    Career: 384-252 (22nd season)
    vs. Henderson State: 19-18
Doug Nichols, Henderson St.
    at HSU: 50-44 (4th season)
    Career: 50-44 (4th season)

THE SERIES
Series Record: HSU leads 73-41
in Searcy: HSU leads 29-25
First Meeting: HSU 79-53 (12/14/1957)
Last Meeting: HU 93-86 (3/9/2014)
Current Streak: HU, 1 game

Harding plays the first of two Great American Conference home games before Christmas break on Saturday with a matchup against Henderson State at 7:30 p.m.

Harding enters the game with a 3-5 overall record and 1-2 GAC mark. The Bisons are looking to end a four-game skid with losses by a total of only nine points. It will be Harding's first home game since a Nov. 22 victory over Southwestern Oklahoma.

Henderson State enters the game tied for the GAC lead at 3-1 in conference games. The Reddies have won four straight games, including GAC victory over Arkansas-Monticello and Arkansas Tech.

Harding and Henderson State will be meeting for the first time since the Bisons defeated the Reddies 93-86 in double overtime to win the 2014 Great American Conference Tournament and earn the GAC's automatic berth in the NCAA Division II Tournament.

Saturday's game will be a matchup of two of the top four 3-point shooting teams in the GAC. Harding (3rd) and Henderson State (4th) both shoot 37 percent from 3-point range.

Harding Team Notes:
Junior Johnthan McGee has scored in double figures in his last two games, with 12 points vs. Southern Arkansas and 19 vs. Arkansas-Monticello. McGee ranks third in the GAC with 3.8 assists per game and second with an 87.5 free-throw percentage.

Harding leads the GAC in 3-point field-goal percentage defense. Bison opponents have made only 30.8 percent of their 3-pointers and have held four of their last five opponents to below 30.0 percent from 3-point range.

The Bisons also lead the GAC in assists (17.0 assists per game) and assist-to-turnover ratio (1.4). Harding has had more assists than turnovers in seven of its eight games.

Harding also leads the GAC in free-throw percentage (74.5). The Bisons shot over 70 percent from the free throw line in five of its first six games, but has shot just 60 percent (18-of-30) in its last two games.

Series Notes:
Harding and Henderson State are meeting for the 115th time with the Reddies leading the series 73-41. The Bisons have won 25 times in 54 games in Searcy. The teams are 3-3 in GAC regular season games, and Harding has won seven of the last eight meetings in Searcy.

The teams split two meetings last season, both winning at home. The Bisons won 89-71 in Searcy, and the Reddies won 91-88 in overtime in Arkadelphia. The last meeting was Harding's 93-86 double overtime victory at the GAC Tournament Championship in Bartlesville, Oklahoma.

Jacob Gibson averaged 20.7 points against Henderson State last season, including a 36-point effort on Jan. 9 in Searcy. He made 13 3-pointers in the three games. Blake McNair made 10-of-15 3-pointers vs. the Reddies last season and averaged 18.3 points. Will Francis made 12-of-13 free throws and averaged 13.3 points.

Series Individual Records, Harding vs. Henderson State:
    Points - 38, Stan Eckwood (1/19/1978)
    Rebounds - 15, Kevin Brown (1/29/2011)
    Assists - 10, Weston Jameson (1/9/2014)

Opponent Notes:
Henderson State is 6-3 overall but will be playing only their third road game of the season. The Reddies are 1-1 on the road with a 65-61 victory at Texas A&M-Kingsville (Nov. 16) and a 78-46 loss to Midwestern State (Nov. 25).

Henderson State leads the GAC in scoring defense, allowing only 64.6 points per game. The Reddies are 6-1 in games allowing their opponents below 70 points. Henderson State has held three opponents to fewer than 60 points.

Reddie sophomore Kevin Kozan leads the GAC in 3-point field-goal percentage at 51.0 percent. Kozan has made three or more 3-pointers in five of Henderson State's eight games.

Reggie Murphy, a senior from Los Angeles, Calif., leads the Reddies in both scoring (15.3 ppg) and rebounding (7.3 rpg).