Basketball Bisons Open Roadtrip Thursday at Northwestern Oklahoma

Harding Game Notes

Harding (11-8, 9-4) vs. Northwestern Okla. (5-15, 4-9)
Feb. 5, 2015 • Percefull Fieldhouse • Alva, Okla. • 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: 375-245 (21st season)
   Career: 392-255 (22nd season)
   vs. Northwestern Okla.: 3-2
Andrew Brown, Northwestern Okla.
   at NWOSU: 115-108 (8th season)
   Career: same

THE SERIES
Series Record: HU leads 3-2
in Alva: Tied 1-1
First Meeting: HU 82-66 (1/5/2013)
Last Meeting: HU 92-72 (12/18/2014)
Current Streak: HU, 1 game

Harding will play five of its last seven regular-season games on the road beginning Thursday against Northwestern Oklahoma in Alva. Tipoff at Percefull Fieldhouse is at 7:30 p.m.

Harding enters the game with an 11-8 overall record and 9-4 GAC mark. The Bisons have won six straight games, including five at home, and are tied with Southern Arkansas for second place in the conference standings.

Harding is coming off a 75-71 victory over Southern Arkansas on Saturday at Rhodes Field House. Andraz Kavas led Harding with 20 points, and Will Francis tied a career high with six 3-pointers and scored 18 points.

Northwestern Oklahoma is coming off an 86-76 road loss to Southern Nazarene on Saturday. The Rangers could not overcome 32 percent shooting in the first half that left them trailing by 14 at halftime. T'aries Taylor scored 19 points to lead Northwestern, who made 13 3-pointers.

Harding's four-point victory over Southern Arkansas on Saturday was the Bisons' first victory by fewer than seven points this season. Seven of Harding's 11 victories have come by 10 points or more.

Harding Team Notes:
Harding leads the GAC in scoring in conference games, averaging 77.8 points. Northwestern is eighth at 67.0 points. The Bisons also lead the conference in GAC games in scoring margin (+7.7), field-goal percentage (49.1), assists (16.4), assist/turnover ratio (1.4), and 3-point field goals made (11.1).

Harding junior Andraz Kavas leads the GAC in scoring at 19.8 points per game. He is second in the GAC in conference scoring at 19.5 points per game.

Harding has three of the top 10 3-point shooters in GAC games. John Hudson ranks fourth (46.2 percent), Blake McNair is seventh (44.6), and Andraz Kavas is 9th (41.5).

Harding ranks second in the conference with 11.9 turnovers per game. The Bisons have had 10 or fewer turnovers in a game nine times, including a season-low four turnovers vs. Arkansas Tech on Jan. 22.

Series Notes:
Harding and Northwestern Oklahoma are meeting for the sixth time with the Bisons leading the series 3-2. The teams have split the two meetings in Alva, with the Rangers winning 80-61 in 2013 and the Bisons winning 69-63 in 2014.

Harding had five players score in double figures in Harding's 92-72 victory over Northwestern State on Dec. 18. John Hudson made six 3-pointers and scored a career-high 22 points. The Bisons made a school-record 21 3-pointers in the game, representing 72 percent of Harding's field goals in the game (21-of-29). Adrian Motley and Laakeem Henderson both scored 12 points to lead the Rangers. The teams combined for only 16 turnovers in the game (Harding - 10, Northwestern - 6).

Series Individual Records, Harding vs. Northwestern Oklahoma:
   Points - 23, Hayden Johnson (1/4/2014) & Jacob Gibson (12/18/2014)
   Rebounds - 10, Jacob Gibson (12/18/2014)
   Assists - 9, Weston Jameson (2/6/2014)

Opponent Notes:
Northwestern Oklahoma is 5-15 overall and 4-9 in GAC games. The Rangers are 3-5 at home, including 3-3 in GAC home games. Northwestern has lost three straight and four of its last five. The only win during the stretch was a 61-56 home victory over Southwestern Oklahoma on Jan. 22.

Northwestern Oklahoma has started 10 of the 11 players on its roster at some point this season. None of the Rangers have started all 20 games. Darrian Dempsey has started 19 games and is second on the team with 29.7 minutes played per game.

Northwestern has four players averaging more than 10 points per game, and are led by T'aries Taylor's 11.8 points per game. Taylor is a 6-foot-2 junior guard from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Adrian Motley, a 6-foot-5 sophomore forward from Humble, Texas, averages 11.5 points and a team-high 7.2 rebounds.

Darrian Dempsey ranks fourth in the GAC in free-throw percentage (77.1 percent) and fifth with 1.6 steals per game.

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Players Mentioned

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

#21 Hayden Johnson: F; 6' 6"; Senior

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

#22 John Hudson: G; 6' 4"; Junior

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

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

Players Mentioned

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

#21 Hayden Johnson
: 6' 6"; Senior
: F

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

#22 John Hudson
: 6' 4"; Junior
: G

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

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