Harding Game Notes

Harding (5-6, 3-2) vs. Ouachita Baptist (7-2, 3-1)
Jan. 3, 2015 • Vining Arena • Arkadelphia, Ark. • 3 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: 369-243 (21st season)
    Career: 386-253 (22nd season)
    vs. Ouachita Baptist: 31-14
Dennis Nutt, Ouachita Baptist
    at OBU: 49-43 (4th season)
    Career: 121-139 (10th season)

THE SERIES
Series Record: OBU leads 69-54
in Arkadelphia: OBU leads 38-21
First Meeting: OBU 77-59 (12/5/1957)
Last Meeting: HU 81-64 (2/15/2014)
Current Streak: HU, 1 game

Harding looks to remain near the top of the Great American Conference standings and reverse its recent road fortunes Saturday when it meets Ouachita Baptist at 3 p.m. at Vining Arena.

Harding enters the game with a 5-6 overall record and 3-2 GAC mark. The Bisons are one of six teams tied with three conference victories and are part of a four-way tie for third place in the GSC standings, one-half game behind leaders East Central and Ouachita Baptist, both 3-1.

Ouachita Baptist enters the game 7-2 overall and 3-1 in GAC games. The Tigers have won all five home games this season and enter the game on a two-game winning streak. OBU has not played since an 83-67 victory over Northwestern Oklahoma on Dec. 20.

Harding enters the game ranked 12th in NCAA II and tops in the GAC with 10.5 3-pointers made per game. The Bisons ranked seventh last season with a school-record 10.6 3-pointers per game.

The Bisons will be looking for their first road win of the 2014-15 season. Harding has not won in four road games this season, and its last road victory came last season at Arkansas-Monticello on Jan. 18, a span of nine road games.

Harding Team Notes:
Jacob Gibson ranks 20th among Division II juniors in career 3-pointers made with 117. He is 82nd among all Division II players. Gibson is four 3-pointers back of Scott Webb (121, 1993-96) for 15th on Harding's career 3-pointers list.

Harding leads the GAC in both assist-to-turnover ratio (1.42) and assists per game (17.5). The Bisons have had more assists than turnovers in nine of their 11 games and have had more than 20 assists four times.
 
Harding also leads the GAC in free-throw percentage (74.7). The Bisons  have outscored their opponents by 41 points at the free-throw line and are led by Andraz Kavas' 77.0 percent shooting.

Blake McNair leads the Bisons and the GAC in 3-point field goal percentage at 50.0 percent. McNair has made at least one 3-pointer in 10 of the season's 11 games and has made multiple 3-pointers seven times.

Series Notes:
Harding and Ouachita Baptist are meeting for the 124th time with the Tigers leading the series 69-54. The Bisons have won 21 times in 59 meetings in Arkadelphia and are seeking their first win at Ouachita Baptist since 2011.

The teams split the two meetings last season, both winning at home. The Tigers won 77-69 in Arkadelphia on Jan. 11, and the Bisons won 81-64 in Searcy on Feb. 15.

Will Francis was outstanding for Harding against Ouachita Baptist last season, averging 15.5 points and 7.5 rebounds in two games. He made  7-of-15 3-pointers and scored 27 points in the game in Arkadelphia. Jacob Gibson averaged 14.5 points, and John Hudson averaged 8.0 points.

Series Individual Records, Harding vs. Ouachita Baptist:
    Points - 36, Butch Gardner (2/19/1976)
    Rebounds - 13, Matt Hall (2/10/2007)
    Assists - 10, Aaron Farley (2/19/2001)

Opponent Notes:
Ouachita Baptist is 7-2 overall and 3-1 in GAC games. The Tigers are 5-0 at home and have won those games by an average of 23.4 points. Ouachita Baptist has home conference victories over Arkansas-Monticello (74-71) and Northwestern Oklahoma (83-67).

Ouachita Baptist has been winning its games in the margins. The Tigers lead the GAC in scoring margin (+12.9), rebound margin (+5.4), and turnover margin (+5.7).

The Tigers roster has been bolstered by two transfers from the University of Central Arkansas. Both Tirrell Brown and David Berete are former Bears. Brown leads NCAA Division II with a staggering 80.0 field-goal percentage.

Berete leads the GAC in assist-to-turnover ratio at 2.73 and is third in the conference with 3.8 assists per game.

Justin McCleary is second in the GAC in 3-point shooting at 49.1 percent and ranks third with 3.11 3-pointers made per game.