Harding Game Notes

Harding (3-4, 1-1) vs. Ark.-Monticello (2-3, 0-3)
Dec. 6, 2014 • Steelman Fieldhouse • Monticello, Ark. • 4 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: 367-241 (21st season)
    Career: 384-251 (22nd season)
    vs. Ark.-Monticello: 25-18
Kyle Tolin, Ark.-Monticello
    at UAM: 2-3 (1st season)
    Career: 2-3 (1st season)

THE SERIES
Series Record: UAM leads 60-55
in Monticello: UAM leads 36-20
First Meeting: UAM 56-50 (12/17/1957)
Last Meeting: UAM 72-70 (2/22/2014)
Current Streak: UAM, 1 game

• Harding plays the second game of a two-game GAC roadtrip Saturday when they meet Arkansas-Monticello at 4 p.m. at Steelman Fieldhouse. The Bisons lost the first game of the trip 64-62 at Southern Arkansas on Thursday.

• Junior Blake McNair led Harding with 17 points and had a career-high nine rebounds and three steals against Southern Arkansas. Harding had a season-low six turnovers and a season-high seven steals against the Muleriders.

• Harding junior Andraz Kavas enters Thursday's game ranked third in the GAC in scoring (19.1 ppg), 10th in rebounding (6.4 rpg) and fifth in field-goal percentage (54.2).

• Harding enters the game 3-4 overall and 1-1 in the GAC. The Bisons will return to Searcy for its next game on Saturday, Dec. 13 against Henderson State. It is the first of two straight home games before Christmas break.

• Arkansas-Monticello enters the game with a 2-3  overall record and 0-3 record in the GAC. The Boll Weevils have won both non-conference games and lost all three conference games. UAM is coming off a 63-51 road loss to Henderson State on Thursday.

Harding Team Notes:
•    Junior Jacob Gibson made two 3-pointers against Southern Arkansas to move up to 19th in career 3-pointers at Harding with 104. He passed Cole Kee (103, 2004-07) and is two behind Jay Brogdon (106, 1999-2004).

•    Harding enters the game as the GAC leader in free-throw percentage at 75.8 percent. The Bisons have shot better than 70 percent in five of the last six games. Two Harding players are in the GAC top 10 in the category--Johnthan McGee (5th, 85.7) and Andraz Kavas (9th, 80.4). Blake McNair is shooting 89.5 percent but has not made enough free throws to qualify.

•    Harding enters the game ranked first in the GAC with 17.9 assists per game. The Bisons have had more than 20 assists in a game three times. McGee ranks third in the GAC (3.9) and Francis is fourth (3.7).

Series Notes:
•    Harding and Arkansas-Monticello are meeting for the 116th time with the Boll Weevils leading the series 60-55. The Bisons have won 20 times in 56 visits to Monticello. Arkansas-Monticello has won two of the three GAC games in Monticello and the series is tied 3-3 in GAC play.

•    The teams split two meetings last season, both winning on the road. The Bisons won 89-87 in double overtime in Monticello, and the Boll Weevils won 72-70 in Searcy. Six of the last seven meetings in the series have been decided by eight points or less.

•    Francis averaged 12.0 points in Harding's two games against Arkansas-Monticello last season. Gibson averaged 19.0 points vs. the Boll Weevils and scored 23 points in the game in Searcy. McNair made three 3-pointers last year against Arkansas-Monticello and averaged 12.5 points.

•    Series Individual Records, Harding vs. Arkansas-Monticello:
    Points - 36, Corey Camper (3/1/1990 & 2/23/1989)
    Rebounds - 22, George Frazier (2/20/1969)
    Assists - 13, Cliff Miller (1/30/1995)

Opponent Notes:
•    Arkansas-Monticello enters the game 2-3 overall and 0-3 in GAC action. The Boll Weevils are 2-2 at home.

•    Arkansas-Monticello leads the GAC in rebounding margin at +4.6. The Boll Weevils have outrebounded three of their five opponents, but two of their losses came in games they were outrebounded (Southern Nazarene and Henderson State).

•    Arkansas-Monticello enters the game ranked 11th in the GAC in 3-point field goal percentage at 28.7 percent. The Boll Weevils' season-high is seven 3-pointers vs. East Central (11/20).

•    Sharif Hudson, a 6-2 senior guard from Pensacola, Florida, is Arkansas-Monticello's leading scorer at 19.0 points per game. He also leads the team in 3-point field goals (12), free throws (17), rebounds (34), and steals (14).

•    Hudson led Arkansas-Monticello in scoring in the first four games of the season, but was held to only eight points in the loss to Henderson St.