Jeff Montgomery

Reggie Anthony and the Bisons take on Southern Arkansas on Saturday in the GAC Tournament semifinals.

Men's Basketball 3/4/2016 9:05:00 PM by Scott Goode (3/4/16)

No. 1 Seed Harding Plays Saturday Semifinal Matchup against No. 5 seed Southern Arkansas

No. 1 Harding (19-9) vs. No. 5 Southern Arkansas (17-12)
Mar. 5, 2016 • Bruin Fieldhouse • Bartlesville, Okla. • 2:15 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: 397-260 (22nd season)
   Career: 414-270 (23rd season)
   vs. Southern Ark.: 30-14
Andy Sharpe, Southern Ark.
   at SAU: 54-57 (4th season)
   Career: 222-127 (11th season)

THE SERIES
Series Record: SAU leads 70-52
at Neutral Sites: Tied 3-3
First Meeting: SAU 64-61 (11/23/1957)
Last Meeting: HU 89-83 (2/18/2016)
Current Streak: HU, 4 games

• Top-seeded Harding will play in its fourth consecutive Great American Conference Tournament semifinal Saturday against No. 5 seed Southern Arkansas on Saturday at 2:15 p.m. The winner plays in the championship Sunday at 1 p.m.

• Harding entered in the NCAA Division II Central Region Rankings at No. 7 on Wednesday. The Bisons have won six straight games and earned their third regular season conference championship. Harding is seeking its sixth 20-win season in program history and first since the 2012-13 season.

• Harding reached the semifinal with a 76-61 victory over No. 8 Northwestern Oklahoma on Thursday. The Bisons made 10 3-pointers in the second half and outscored the Rangers 47-31. Jacob Gibson led Harding with 19 points and a career-high five steals.

• Southern Arkansas defeated Southwestern Oklahoma 83-82 on CJ Elkins' layup with nine seconds left. Deon Andrews led the Muleriders with 21 points. Southern Arkansas had a 57-39 rebound advantage.

• Harding's Jacob Gibson won the GAC Player of the Year award. He is the sixth Bison to earn conference player of the year and the first since Matt Hall in 2008.

Harding Team Notes:
•   Harding's current roster has four players with more than 1,000 career points. Jacob Gibson leads the quartet with 1,221 points (20th in program history). Andraz Kavas scored 1,068 points before he was injured in Harding's eighth game of the season. Blake McNair (1,004) and Will Francis (1,002) both scored their 1,000 career points in Harding's GAC Tournament opener against Northwestern Oklahoma.

•   Jacob Gibson is Harding's career leader with 223 3-pointers. He is the first Harding player to have 80 or more 3-pointers in two different seasons. Gibson has 84 3-pointers this season and needs three more in the GAC Tournament to pass Lonnie Smith's school record of 86 in 2004-05.

•   Harding had three players honored in the GAC's postseason awards ceremony. Gibson was named Player of the Year and first-team All-GAC. Head coach Jeff Morgan was the Coach of the Year, and Blake McNair and Jacob Gibson were named second-team All-GAC.

•   Harding has made 297 3-pointers in 2015-16. With three more 3-pointers made, the Bisons will reach 300 made 3s for the third consecutive season. The 2013-14 team holds the record with 319 3-pointers.

Series Notes:
•   Harding and Southern Arkansas are meeting for the 123rd time with the Muleriders leading 70-52. This will be the seven neutral site meeting (tied 3-3) and the third time in the GAC Tournament (HU leads 2-0).

•   Harding won the first meeting between the two teams 82-67 on Jan. 25 in Magnolia and won the second meeting 89-83 on Feb. 18 in Searcy.

•   Harding had five players play in both games against Southern Arkansas and average 10 points or more. Reggie Anthony averaged 20.5 points and Blake McNair averaged 18.0 points and made 16-of-18 free throws. Harding made 13 3-pointers to SAU's six and outscored the Muleriders 46-28 at the free-throw line.

•   Series Individual Records, Harding vs. Southern Arkansas:
   Points - 34, Stephen Blake (2/14/2011) & Ned Boaz (1/12/1965)
   Rebounds - 16, Zach Roddenberry (1/17/2013)
   Assists - 12, Jerry Morgan (2/7/1977)

Opponent Notes:
•   Southern Arkansas enters the game 17-12 overall. The Muleriders went 13-9 in GAC games, winning their last three. Southern Arkansas has won four straight overall.

•   Southern Arkansas leads the GAC in rebound margin at +6.6. The Muleriders also lead the conference in offensive rebounds (12.6), defensive rebounds (28.7), offensive rebound percentage (33.5) and defensive rebound percentage (74.7).

•   Alvin Braddock, a senior foward from Kankakee, Illinois, averaged 19.0 points and 8.0 rebounds in Southern Arkansas' two games against Harding. Braddock shot 68 percent in the two games.

•   Andy Sharpe, a 2002 graduate of Reinhardt, is in his fourth season at Southern Arkansas. He has also coached at Emmanuel in Georgia and Martin Methodist in Tennessee.

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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

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

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

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

Harding University Athletics

Schedule

Events

No. 1 Seed Harding Plays Saturday Semifinal Matchup against No. 5 seed Southern Arkansas

Players Mentioned

#3 Reggie Anthony

#21 Will Francis

#15 Jacob Gibson

#44 Andraz Kavas

#23 Blake McNair

Players Mentioned

#3 Reggie Anthony

#21 Will Francis

#15 Jacob Gibson

#44 Andraz Kavas

#23 Blake McNair