Harding (6-2, 4-0 GAC) at East Central (1-7, 1-3 GAC)
Jan. 7, 2016 • Kerr Activities Center • Ada, Oklahoma • 5:30 p.m.

HOW TO FOLLOW
Radio: KVHU 95.3
Internet:
    Audio: www.HardingSports.com
    Video: www.HardingSports.com
    Live Stats: www.HardingSports.com

THE COACHES
Tim Kirby, Harding
    at Harding: 199-99 (11th season)
    Career: same
    vs. East Central: 5-2
Matt Cole, East Central
    at ECU: 16-19 (2nd season)
    Career: same

THE SERIES
Series Record: Harding leads 8-6
in Ada: ECU leads 5-2
First Meeting: HU 93-75 (1/24/98)
Last Meeting: HU 58-53 (2/21/15)
Current Streak: HU, 2 games

The Harding women's basketball will look to start 2016 with a win at East Central on Thursday when the two teams met in Great American Conference action in Ada, Oklahoma at 5:30 p.m.

Harding has won the last two meetings but is 2-5 in Ada. Last season in Ada, the Lady Bisons won 58-53. Sydney Layrock scored 12 points, making 6-of-7 from the free throw line. She also had six rebounds.

Harding looks to remain perfect in the GAC as they head into Thursday with a 6-2 overall record and a 4-0 GAC record. The Lady Bisons have won their last three games and is coming off a 63-55 win at Christian Brothers on Dec. 30. Sophomore guard Lundon Williams led all scoring with 22 points, hitting five 3-pointers. Sydney Layrock had 11 points and Correy Moyer added 10 points.

East Central heads into the contest with a 1-7 overall record and a 1-3 GAC record. Its only win came against Arkansas-Monticello at home 66-56 in GAC action. The Tigers have fallen to Southern Arkansas (63-59), Henderson State (85-80) and Ouachita (61-58) in GAC action this season.

Harding Team Notes:
Harding has a 18-13 record in games to start a new year. The Lady Bisons have won its last seven games and its last loss was in 2007-08 when they fell to North Alabama 77-74.

Harding head coach Tim Kirby will be looking for his 200th career victory on Thursday. He will be the first women's basketball coach at Harding to have 200 victories. Kirby is already the winningest coach in Harding history with a .665 winning percentage. He is the longest tenured coach (11 seasons) and has coached in more games (298).

Harding is led on the season by Sydney Layrock who averages 16.6 points to rank sixth in the GAC. Layrock also ranks sixth in the GAC in rebounds, averaging 6.0 per game.

Harding is 3-2 on the road this season as its last win came at Christian Brothers on Dec. 30th.

Harding ranks first in the GAC in scoring defense as it only allows its opponent to scoring 58.0 points. It also ranks first in field goal percentage defense, holding its opponent to shooting 34.3 percent.

The Lady Bisons rank tied with East Central for first in the GAC in 3-point field goals made. Both teams average 8.1 per game. Sophomore guard Lundon Williams has made a team-high 21 3-pointers this season. She also leads the team in 3-point field goal percentage, shooting 45.7 percent from behind the arc to rank second in the GAC.

Junior guard A'ndrea Haney has recorded 22 steals this season to rank first in the GAC. She has six more than second place. Haney averages 2.8 per game and has had four in each of her last two games.

Lundon Williams leads all of NCAA Division II in assist to turnover ratio (4.13). In eight games, she has recorded 33 assists to only eight turnovers.

Series Notes:
Harding and East Central are meeting for the 16th time.

Series Individual Records, Harding vs. East Central:
    Points – 25, Molly McPherson (1/24/1998)
    Rebounds – 15, Arielle Saunders (2/21/2015)
    Assists – 8, Emily Prysock (1/24/1998)

Opponent Notes:
East Central will also be playing its first game since Dec. 30th when they fell to Central Oklahoma at home 78-47. Alexa Adair led the Tigers with 14 points. Tori Huff added 11 points, making three 3-pointers and Aalyiah Blakely came off the bench to score 10 points.

East Central has lost its last five games and are 1-4 at home.

East Central is led on the season by Alexa Adair who averages 15.6 points and 4.8 rebounds. Whitney Stotler leads the Tigers on the boards averaging 6.5 rebounds.

In conference games this season Alexa Adair is averaging 19.8 points and Whitney Stotler is averaging 11.0 points.

East Central ranks second behind Harding in scoring defense in the GAC (65.0) and is tied with Harding, averaging 8.1 3-pointers per game. Alexa Adair ranks second in the GAC in 3-point field goals made. She averages 2.9 per game and has made 23 this season. Adair made a season-high six 3-pointers in East Central's only win this season.