SEARCY – Harding overcame an eight-point deficit in the second half and continued its strong play at the Rhodes Field House in an 87-80 victory over East Central on Thursday in Great American Conference play.

Harding (6-8, 4-4) improved to 6-1 at home and continues its four-game home stand Saturday against Southern Nazarene. East Central (11-4, 5-3) lost for the first time in five road games this season.

East Central's Aly Hudgins scored a tip-in basket with 9:22 left in the game that gave the Tigers a 69-61 lead. Over the next three minutes, Harding whittled away at the lead and tied the game for the sixth time on Andraz Kavas' 3-pointer with 6:01 left. Jacob Gibson followed that with a layup, and Antoine Burrell made a free throw to give the Bisons a 74-71 lead.

Tiger guard Stirling Thomas, who scored 35 points, tied the game for the seventh time with a 3-pointer at the 3:51 mark. Harding's Blake McNair answered with a 3-pointer that gave Harding the lead for good. It was the 16th lead change in the game.

McNair added a jumper on Harding's next possession, and Will Francis made three free throws after being fouled on a 3-point attempt. The three free throws gave Harding an 82-75 lead and the Bisons led by at least four the rest of the way.

Kavas, who entered the game as the GAC's leading scorer, made 8-of-10 shots and scored 21 points, his fifth game with 20 or more points this season. Francis scored 18 points and added seven rebounds and seven assists. McNair scored 19, and Gibson added 15 points and a team-high nine rebounds.

Thomas made 13-of-25 field goals, including 8-of-16 3-pointers. His 35 points were the most against Harding this season.

Harding is now 4-0 in home conference games this season and 25-7 in GAC games at the Rhodes over the last three-plus seasons.

East Central entered the game averaging 27 free throw attempt, but made only 7-of-14 from the free-throw line Thursday.