This Weekend in Harding Sports, Dec. 2-3

Football
Saturday, 12 p.m. - vs. No. 10 Ferris State - Big Rapids, Michigan
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Harding will make its second straight appearance in the NCAA Division II Playoffs national quarterfinals and Super Region Three final Saturday. The Bisons, No. 7 seed in Super Region Three, will travel to meet No. 4 seed Ferris State, the second-place regular season team in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletics Conference. Kickoff at Top Taggart Field in Big Rapids, Michigan, will be at noon local time and 11 a.m. Central Time.

Harding and Ferris State are the only two teams in NCAA Division II that have reached the national quarterfinals in each of the last two seasons.

Harding is playing postseason football for the ninth time in program history. The Bisons played in NAIA bowls in 1972 (Cowboy) and 1976 (San Jacinto Shrine) and in the NAIA playoffs in 1989 and 1992. Harding has played in the NCAA II Playoffs in 2012 and 2014 and reached the national quarterfinals last season. The Bisons also played in the 2013 Live United Texarkana Bowl.

Harding enters the matchup on an 10-game winning streak, the second longest in program history. The streak came after the Bisons opened the season with three consecutive losses.

Harding enters the game as the NCAA Division II leader in rushing TD (50) and rushing yards (4,565). Harding has rushed for more than 300 yards nine times this season and for 200 or more yards in 26 straight games.

Harding will be playing four consecutive road games for the first time since 1982 (Southeastern Oklahoma, Evangel, Arkansas Tech, Rhodes). In the 1927-28 seasons, Harding played 10 consecutive road games.

Women's Basketball
Saturday, 1 p.m. - vs. Southwestern Oklahoma - Searcy, Ark. (Rhodes-Reaves Field House)
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Looking for its second victory of the weekend, Harding takes on Great American Conference foe Southwestern Oklahoma Saturday at Rhodes-Reaves Field House. The Lady Bisons are 3-4 overall and 1-2 in the GAC and coming off a 93-63 victory over Northwestern Oklahoma Thursday at home.

Southwestern, ranked No. 25 in Division II, enters the game 7-0 overall and 3-0 in conference games and is coming off an 84-76 road victory at Arkansas Tech Thursday. The Lady Bulldogs made 15 3-pointers in the game.

Southwestern leads the series 12-10, but Harding has won eight of nine meetings in Searcy. The teams split two games last season, each winning at home. Southwestern's 80-79 victory over Harding in Weatherford was Harding's only GAC loss last season.

Harding enters the game with the GAC's highest field-goal percentage, shooting 47 percent as a team. The Lady Bisons have shot better than 40 percent in every game and shot a season-best 55 percent in the win over Northwestern Oklahoma. Freshman Kennedy Cooper is the GAC's leader in field-goal percentage at 56 percent.

Southwestern leads the GAC in scoring at 84 points per game. Individually, Lady Bulldog junior Hailey Tucker leads the conference, averaging just over 21 points per game.

Men's Basketball
Saturday, 3 p.m. - vs. Southwestern Oklahoma - Searcy, Ark. (Rhodes-Reaves Field House)
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Two teams looking for their first GAC victories will square off as Harding (0-4, 0-3) hosts Southwestern Oklahoma (1-6, 0-3). The Bisons are looking for their first victory of the season, and the Bulldogs are looking to snap a six-game losing streak.

Harding is coming off a 79-57 loss to Northwestern Oklahoma Thursday at Rhodes-Reaves in the Bisons' home opener. Reggie Anthony led Harding in scoring with 15 points. Southwestern suffered an 88-81 loss to Arkansas Tech in Russellville. The teams combined to shoot 76 3-pointers in the game with Tech connecting on 18 of 49.

Harding holds a 12-7 advantage in the all-time series and has won eight of nine in Searcy, incuding the last eight straight. Southwestern's last win in Searcy came in 1998.

The Bisons enter the game second in the GAC with 4.5 blocked shots per game. Tim Wagner leads the team with five, and J.P. Brandon has four.

Southwestern averages just over eight 3-pointers made per game, good for fifth in the GAC. Junior Daniel Eibel is shooting 59 percent from 3-point range, second in the conference.

Men's and Women's Track and Field
Sunday - ASU Kickoff Klassic - Jonesboro, Ark.
Harding begins its indoor track and field season at Arkansas State Sunday. Running events begin at 1:30 p.m. with field events beginning at 2 p.m.

Harding will have 17 men and 19 women in competition.

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Players Mentioned

#42 Kennedy Cooper: F; 6' 0"; Freshman

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

#44 J.P. Brandon: F; 6' 5"; Sophomore

#34 Adam Horn: F; 6' 6"; Sophomore

#1 Tim Wagner: G; 6' 3"; Senior

Players Mentioned

#42 Kennedy Cooper
: 6' 0"; Freshman
: F

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

#44 J.P. Brandon
: 6' 5"; Sophomore
: F

#34 Adam Horn
: 6' 6"; Sophomore
: F

#1 Tim Wagner
: 6' 3"; Senior
: G