Liz Chrisman

Will Francis and the Bisons will take on East Central in the GAC Tournament semifinals.

Men's Basketball 3/6/2015 5:15:00 PM by Scott Goode (3/6/15)

Harding Men's Basketball to Meet East Central in GAC Tournament Semifinal

Harding Game Notes

(6) Harding (14-13, 11-9) vs. (2) East Central (20-9, 13-7)
Mar. 7, 2015 • Bruin Fieldhouse • Bartlesville, Okla. • 5:45 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: 378-250 (21st season)
   Career: 395-260 (22nd season)
   vs. East Central: 9-10
Ja Havens, East Central
   at ECU: 35-21 (2nd season)
   Career: same

THE SERIES
Series Record: ECU leads 10-9
Neutral site: Tied 1-1
First Meeting: HU 84-75 (11/26/1994)
Last Meeting: ECU 78-76 (2/21/2015)
Current Streak: ECU, 1 game

Harding plays in its third consecutive GAC Tournament semifinal Saturday when it takes on No. 2 seed East Central at 5:45 p.m. at the Bruin Fieldhouse.

Harding is 5-2 in its four GAC Tournament appearances and has won its last four straight tournament games.

Harding defeated East Central 77-65 last season in the quarterfinals of the GAC Tournament. The Bisons then defeated Arkansas Tech and Henderson State to win the tournament.

Harding and East Central split their two previous meetings this season. The Bisons won 87-80 on Jan. 15 in Searcy, and the Tigers won 78-76 on Feb. 21 in Ada.

In GAC games in 2014-15, Harding led the conference in scoring offense (78.1), scoring margin (+6.6), field goal pct. (48.5), 3-point field goal pct. (41.6), assists (17.1), and 3-point field goals per game (11.4).

Harding's Andraz Kavas earned 1st Team All-GAC honors, and Blake McNair was honorable mention All-GAC.

Harding Team Notes:
In Harding's 11 GAC victories, the Bisons had an average margin of victory of 14.7 points. The nine losses came by an average of 3.3 points and none by more than six points (Courtesy: Eric Moyer, GAC).

Harding leads the GAC and in assist-to-turnover ratio at 1.6 assists per turnover. The Bisons have had more assists than turnovers in 23 games this season. Harding had a season-high 29 assists in its win over Ouachita Baptist in the final regular-season game.

Harding makes 10.9 3-pointers per game to lead the GAC. The Bisons have made 10 or more 3-pointers 19 times and 15 or more 3-pointers three times.

Andraz Kavas leads the GAC in scoring with 20.3 points per game. He has scored 10 or more points in 20 straight games. He has 16 20-point games this season and three 30-point games. Kavas scored 14 vs. Southern Arkansas and has 547 points this season to rank 17th in an HU single season.

Junior Blake McNair is one of only five Harding players with over 100 career 3-pointers and a 3-point field goal percentage over 40.0 percent.

Harding is shooting 40.6 percent from 3-point range. The Bisons have only shot over 40.0 for a season twice (44.5, 1989-90 & 40.6, 2011-12).

Harding averages 17.4 assists, the most since the 1997-98 team set the school record with 19.0 per game.

Series Notes:
Harding and East Central are meeting for the 20th time with the Tigers leading the series 10-9. The teams have played two neutral-site games. East Central defeated Harding 79-77 in the 2000 Central Arkansas Invitational in Conway, Arkansas, and the Bisons won in Bartlesville in last season's GAC Tournament quarterfinals.

Andraz Kavas (24.0), Will Francis (20.0) and Blake McNair (16.5) each averaged double figures in Harding's two games against East Central. The teams were separated by only one point (177-176) in the two games. Francis is 9-of-14 from 3-point range.

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 20-9 overall and finished second in the GAC with a 13-7 conference record. The Tigers have won four of their last five games, including a 78-58 victory over Southern Nazarene in the GAC Tournament quarterfinals.

East Central's Braxton Reeves and Stirling Thomas have both made 91 3-pointers this season to lead the GAC.

East Central leads the GAC in both free throws attempted and free throws made during the 2014-15 season. Henry Pwono leads the GAC individually in both categories.

Print Friendly Version

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

Schedule

Events

Harding Men's Basketball to Meet East Central in GAC Tournament Semifinal

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