Harding and East Central Meet Saturday in GAC Action

Harding Game Notes

Harding (12-11, 10-7) vs. East Central (17-8, 11-6)
Feb. 21, 2015 • Kerr Activities Center • Ada, Okla. • 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: 376-248 (21st season)
   Career: 393-258 (22nd season)
   vs. East Central: 9-9
Ja Havens, East Central
   at ECU: 32-20 (2nd season)
   Career: same

THE SERIES
Series Record: Tied 9-9
in Ada: ECU leads 5-2
First Meeting: HU 84-75 (11/26/1994)
Last Meeting: HU 87-80 (1/15/2015)
Current Streak: HU, 2 games

Harding plays its second of three straight Great American Conference road games Saturday against East Central. Tipoff at the Kerr Activities Center is at 3 p.m.

Harding enters the game with an 12-11 overall record and 10-7 GAC mark. The Bisons are alone in third place in the conference standings and have clinched one of eight spots in the GAC Tournament in Bartlesville, Oklahoma.

Harding is coming off a 96-90 loss to Southern Nazarene in Bethany, Oklahoma, on Thursday. Andraz Kavas scored 28 points and had 10 rebounds for the Bisons. It was Harding's most points in a loss since a 107-101 double overtime loss at Christian Brothers in 2003.

East Central is coming off a 78-54 home victory over Arkansas Tech on Thursday. The Tigers shot 62 percent in the second half and pulled away after leading by nine at halftime. Henry Pwono led the Tigers with 23 points and 12 rebounds.

Harding enters the game as the GAC's leader in field-goal percentage (48.1), free-throw percentage (73.3), and 3-point field goal percentage (39.5). The Bisons also lead the conference in assists (17.3) and 3-pointers per game (10.7).

Harding Team Notes:
Harding leads the GAC in assist-to-turnover ratio at 1.6 assists per turnover. The Bisons have had more assists than turnovers in 19 games this season. Harding has had fewer than 10 turnovers in each of its last four games.

Harding makes 10.7 3-pointers per game to lead the GAC. The Bisons have made 10 or more 3-pointers 16 times and 15 or more 3-pointers three times. Harding has made more 3-pointers than free throws in each of its last three games (37 3-pointers, 25 free throws).

With three 3-pointers against Southern Nazarene, Blake McNair became the 21st Harding player with 100 career 3-pointers. He currently ranks ranks in the GAC in 3-point field-goal percentage (45.0). McNair has made at least one 3-pointer in 20 straight games and has made 14 3-pointers in Harding's last four games.

Andraz Kavas leads the GAC in scoring with 19.9 points per game. He has scored 10 or more points in 16 straight games. He has 13 20-point games this season and two 30-point games.

Harding sophomore Will Francis has made 21-of-34 3-pointers (61.8 percent) over the last five games. He has moved into fifth in the GAC in 3-point field-goal percentage at 43.0 percent.

Series Notes:
Harding and East Central are meeting for the 19th time with the series tied 9-9. East Central has won five of the seven meetings in Ada with Harding's victories coming in 1998 and 2012.

Andraz Kavas scored 21 points, Blake McNair had 19 and Will Francis 18 in Harding's 87-80 victory over East Central in the first meeting between the teams. Stirling Thomas had 35 points for East Central. Harding shot 56 percent and won a game that had seven ties and 16 lead changes.

Series Individual Records, Harding vs. East Central:
   Points - 35, Jacob Gibson (1/25/2014)
   Rebounds - 13, Michael Jackson (2/17/2000)
   Assists - 11, Weston Jameson (3/6/2014)

Opponent Notes:
East Central is 17-8 overall and 11-6 in GAC games. The Tigers are 8-4 at home, including 5-3 in GAC home games. East Central has won five of its last six home games but has alternated wins and loses over its last seven games.

East Central ranks second in the GAC in both 3-point field-goal percentage (39.4) and 3-point field goals per game (9.1). The Tigers have made 10 or more 3-pointers 12 times, including three times in the last four games.

East Central and Harding are the top two teams in field-goal percentage in the GAC. Harding leads the conference at 48.1 percent, and East Central is second at 46.8. The teams are also the top two in 3-point field-goal percentage.

East Central guard Stirling Thomas is second in the GAC in scoring at 19.8 points and leads the GAC in 3-pointers made per game (3.2) and minutes played (35.8).

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Players Mentioned

#14 Weston Jameson: G; 6' 0"; Senior

#21 Will Francis: G; 6' 5"; Sophomore

#44 Andraz Kavas: F; 6' 10"; Junior

#23 Blake McNair: G; 6' 4"; Junior

Players Mentioned

#14 Weston Jameson
: 6' 0"; Senior
: G

#21 Will Francis
: 6' 5"; Sophomore
: G

#44 Andraz Kavas
: 6' 10"; Junior
: F

#23 Blake McNair
: 6' 4"; Junior
: G

Harding University Athletics

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Harding and East Central Meet Saturday in GAC Action

Players Mentioned

#14 Weston Jameson

#21 Will Francis

#44 Andraz Kavas

#23 Blake McNair

Players Mentioned

#14 Weston Jameson

#21 Will Francis

#44 Andraz Kavas

#23 Blake McNair