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Harding University Athletics

Preston Anderson
80
Winner Western Wash. WWU 6-3
76
Harding HU 0-8
Winner
Western Wash. WWU
6-3
80
Final
76
Harding HU
0-8
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Western Wash. WWU 34 46 80
Harding HU 39 37 76

Game Recap: Men's Basketball | | by Scott Goode (12/16/17)

Western Washington Comeback Spoils Harding's Hot Start in Hawaii

HONOLULU, Hawaii – Harding shot well in the first half and built a 15-point lead early in the second, but Western Washington turned the tables on the Bisons with a second-half comeback. Western Washington defeated Harding 80-76 in the Hoops in Hawaii Classic in the first college basketball game ever played at the Hawaii Convention Center.

Harding had its largest halftime lead of the season, 39-34, and scored the first 10 points of the second half to go ahead 49-34 with 17:32 left.

Western Washington (6-3) then began to slowly chip away at the lead. The Vikings had a pair of 6-0 runs and took the lead for the first time in the second half at 59-57 on a layup by Siaan Rojas that was part of a 7-0 run.

Down the stretch Western Washington, a member of the Great Northwest Athletic Conference, extended its lead to seven at 67-60 on a jumper by Daulton Hommes. Harding cut the lead to two points three times in the last 4:12 but never tied the game.

Harding (0-8) shot 54 percent in the first half and combined that with solid perimeter defense to lead by five at halftime. Reggie Anthony (13 points), Tim Wagner (12) and Preston Anderson (10) combined to score 35 of Harding's 39 first-half points.

Anthony, who scored the first points ever at the Hawaii Convention Center with a layup on Harding's first possession, broke a 22-22 tie with two free throws at the 7:33 mark. The Bisons led the rest of the half, twice pushing its lead to as many as seven points.

Western Washington enjoyed a significant height advantage with eight players on its roster listed at 6-foot-6 or taller. The Vikings outscored Harding 38-30 in the paint but shot only 2 of 19 from 3-point range.

Hommes had several key baskets for the Vikings during the comeback and led all scorers with 37 points. He was 11 of 18 from the field and 15 of 16 at the free-throw line and added 12 rebounds.

Anthony led Harding with a season-high 23 points. He was 9 of 13 shooting and had three assists. Wagner scored 19, and Anderson and Braden Eggleston had 10 each.

Harding's second game of the Classic is Sunday at 3:30 p.m. in Hawaii and 7:30 p.m. Central. The Bisons will take on host Hawaii Pacific.
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