Harding (15-9, 13-7 GAC) vs. East Central (10-14, 10-10 GAC)
Feb. 25, 2016 • Rhodes-Reaves Field House • Searcy, Ark. • 5:30 p.m.

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

THE COACHES
Tim Kirby, Harding
    at Harding: 208-106 (11th season)
    Career: same
    vs. ECU: 5-3
Matt Cole, East Central
    at ECU: 25-26 (2nd season)
    Career: same

THE SERIES
     Series Record: Harding leads 8-7
     in Searcy: HU leads 6-1
     First Meeting: HU 93-75 (1/24/98)
     Last Meeting: ECU 61-50 (1/7/16)
     Current Streak: ECU, 1 game


The Harding women's basketball team is set to host East Central on Thursday at 5:30 p.m., in Great American Conference action. After the game Harding will recognize lone senior Kaylee Wiedower for her contributions to the Lady Bison basketball program.

Harding is 7-3 at home this season and 6-3 in the GAC. In the three losses the Lady Bisons have lost by a combined seven points. The losses came against Henderson State (66-62), Southwestern Oklahoma (79-77) and Southern Arkansas (71-70).

Harding heads into the game with a 15-9 overall record and a 13-7 GAC record. The Lady Bisons are tied with Southwestern Oklahoma and Southern Arkansas for second place in the GAC standings. Arkansas Tech sits in first with a 19-1 GAC record. The top eight teams in the standings advance to the GAC Tournament held March 3-6, in Bartlesville, Oklahoma.

Harding has lost its last two games and is coming off an 80-67 loss at Henderson State last Saturday. The Lady Bisons were led by Sydney Layrock who had 25 points and grabbed nine rebounds. Harding went 25-of-57 from the field (43.9 percent) and 6-of-21 from behind the 3-point line (28.6 percent). Henderson State shot 49.1 percent and made nine 3-pointers in the game. It also made 19-of-22 free throws.

East Central heads into the contest with a 10-14 overall record and a 10-10 GAC record. The Tigers have sealed a spot in the GAC Tournament and our currently in seventh place in the GAC standings.

Harding Team Notes:
Harding is led on the season by Sydney Layrock who averages 19.3 points to rank third in the GAC. She has scored at least 20 points in the last five games and has scored over 20 points 11 times this season. Layrock also averages 6.4 rebounds.

The Lady Bisons rank second in the GAC in 3-point field goals made. Harding averages 8.32 made 3-pointers per game. Lundon Williams averages 2.0 per game to rank ninth in the GAC.

Harding ranks third in the GAC scoring defense as it holds its opponent to averaging 66.3 points per game.

Junior guard A'ndrea Haney ranks 10th in the GAC in free throw percentage, shooting 77.7 percent. Haney has made 122 free throws this season which is most in the GAC and ranks 15th in NCAA Division II.

Harding ranks first in the GAC in steals, averaging 8.8 per game. A'ndrea Haney has recorded 70 steals, the most in the GAC, and averages 3.0 per game to rank first in the GAC and 10th in NCAA Division II. Lundon Williams has had 46 steals and ranks third in the GAC averaging 1.9 per game.

Harding ranks 10th in NCAA Division II in fewest turnovers (322).

Kaylee Wiedower ranks eighth in the GAC in 3-point field goal percentage, shooting 37.9 percent.

A'ndrea Haney needs six more steals to reach 200 in her career. Bridget Benson is the only Harding player to reach 200 career steals. Haney currently ranks third all-time at Harding with 194 and needs four to move into second place and pass Emily Prysock.

Haney has recorded 70 steals this season, 64 last season and 60 her freshman year. Her 70 steals this season ranks third all-time at Harding for the most in a season. Bailey St. Clair set the record in the 2009-10 season when she had 90. St. Clair also has the second most when she recorded 83 in the 2010-11 season.

A'ndrea Haney also needs six more points to move into 18th all-time at Harding. She also needs four more free throws to move into sixth all-time at Harding (307) and pass Kristen Celsor.

Series Notes:
Harding and East Central are meeting for the 16th time. When the two teams met earlier this season in Ada, Oklahoma, East Central won 61-50. The Lady Bisons were led by Lundon Williams who had 16 points. Sydney Layrock had 15 points making two of Harding's five 3-pointers. East Central held Harding to shooting 32.7 percent (17-of-52). The Tigers shot 45.1 percent making 23-of-51 shots. East Central outrebounded Harding 37 to 28.

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 is coming off a 71-46 win over Northwestern Oklahoma on Saturday. Jayln Jackson captured a double-double to lead the Tigers with 18 points and 13 rebounds. East Central made seven 3-pointers in the game and grabbed 52 rebounds.

The Tigers are led on the season by Alexa Adair who averages 13.2 points. Jayln Jackson ranks fifth in the GAC in rebounding, averaging 8.9 rebounds. Jackson also ranks sixth in the GAC in field goal percentage, shooting 52.1 percent.

Courtney Cowan ranks second in the GAC and ninth in NCAA Division II in assist-to-turnover ratio. She has 78 assists to 29 turnovers.

East Central ranks fourth in NCAA Division II in fewest turnovers (302).