Harding Men's Basketball Hosts GAC Leader East Central Thursday for Senior Night

Harding (16-9, 15-5) vs. East Central (20-6, 16-4)
Feb. 25, 2016 • Rhodes-Reaves Field House • Searcy, Ark. • 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: 394-260 (22nd season)
   Career: 411-270 (23rd season)
   vs. East Central: 10-11
Ja Havens, East Central
   at ECU: 56-28 (3rd season)
   Career: same

THE SERIES
Series Record: ECU leads 11-10
in Searcy: HU leads 6-3
First Meeting: HU 84-75 (11/26/1994)
Last Meeting: HU 96-93 (1/7/2016)
Current Streak: HU, 1 game

WHAT TO WATCH FOR
Harding and East Central will play the marquee game in the Great American Conference on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. at the Rhodes-Reaves Field House. Harding enters the game tied for second in the conference at 15-5, just one game behind leader East Central at 16-4. There are two games remaining in the regular season before the GAC Tournament begins in Bartlesville, Oklahoma, on Thursday, March 3.

Harding will honor its six seniors in a ceremony following Thursday's game. The Bisons still have one game remaining at home, Saturday against Southeastern Oklahoma, but chose to honor its seniors Thursday due to Spring Break beginning after classes on Friday.

Harding won the first meeting between the teams 96-93 in overtime in Ada on Jan. 7. Reggie Anthony led Harding with 25 points, connecting on 9-of-12 field goals and 7-of-8 free throws. Jacob Gibson made five 3-pointers and scored 20, and Will Francis and Blake McNair both made four 3-pointers. Braxton Reeves had 26 points for East Central, and Ishmael Donzo had 21 points and 13 rebounds.

KEY STATISTIC
Harding and East Central are the two highest-scoring teams in the GAC. East Central averages 81.9 points to lead the conference, and Harding is second at 80.6 points.

PLAYERS TO WATCH
Harding's Jacob Gibson made eight 3-pointers against Henderson State and moved past Aaron Farley into first place on Harding's career 3-pointer list. Blake McNair is third with 175 3-pointers. Gibson also moved into sixth on Harding's single season 3-pointer list with 72 this season.

East Central's Ishmael Donzo, a 6-foot-7 forward from Austin, Texas, is the current GAC Player of the Week. He is second in the GAC in rebounding and has had 10 or more rebounds in six of the Tigers' last seven games. He has also had three straight double-doubles.

FACTS AND FIGURES
Harding leads the GAC in field-goal percentage (47.3) and ranks second in field-goal percentage defense (42.6). The Bisons also lead the GAC (22nd in Division II) in 3-point field-goal percentage (39.8) and in 3-point field-goal percentage defense (30.0, ninth in Division II).

Harding leads the GAC and ranks 16th in Division II with 10.6 3-pointers made per game. The Bisons have made 10 or more in seven of the last eight games.

East Central leads the GAC in field-goal percentage defense, allowing opponents to shoot 42.5 percent. The Tigers have held 11 opponents below 40 percent. Harding was one of only five opponents to shoot over 50 percent against East Central.

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Players Mentioned

#3 Reggie Anthony: G; 6' 1"; Sophomore

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

#15 Jacob Gibson: G; 6' 5"; Senior

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

Players Mentioned

#3 Reggie Anthony
: 6' 1"; Sophomore
: G

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

#15 Jacob Gibson
: 6' 5"; Senior
: G

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

Harding University Athletics

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Events

Harding Men's Basketball Hosts GAC Leader East Central Thursday for Senior Night

Players Mentioned

#3 Reggie Anthony

#21 Will Francis

#15 Jacob Gibson

#23 Blake McNair

Players Mentioned

#3 Reggie Anthony

#21 Will Francis

#15 Jacob Gibson

#23 Blake McNair