ORT SMITH, Ark. – Harding made a season-high 11 3-pointers and got key buckets inside late in the game to defeat Arkansas-Fort Smith 68-58 Tuesday in nonconference men's basketball action at the UAFS Stubblefield Center. It was the first meeting between the Arkansas foes in men's basketball and Harding's first road win since Dec. 15, 2018.
Harding matched its win total from last season and improved to 5-3 overall with a Great American Conference battle coming Saturday at home against Henderson State.
Arkansas-Fort Smith, in its first season as a member of the Lone Star Conference, dropped to 5-2 with each of its first seven games coming at home. The Lions had won their previous six nonconference games dating to last season.
Harding took the lead for good on its 11th 3-pointer of the game, a Jordan West 3 from the right wing with 12:33 left. It gave the Bisons a 45-42 advantage.
From that point on, Harding took its offense into the paint to maintain the lead. The Bisons scored 12 straight points in the lane, including the last eight on four layups from junior forward Emir Ahmedic.
Ahmedic's last layup with 4:01 left gave Harding its largest lead to that point at 57-49.
Arkansas-Fort Smith made a brief 5-0 run that cut Harding's lead to 58-56 with 1:55 left, but Romio Harvey made a layup at the 1:08 mark, and the Bisons made 8 of 8 free throws down the stretch to pull away.
Harding had five players with 10 points or more for the first time this season. Ahmedic was 6 of 12 from the field and had 12 points, and Gabe Divic made four 3-pointers to match his season high with 12 points as well. Divic has made two or more 3s in each of the last five games.
Harvey made 7 of 8 free throws, scored 11 points and added a team-high five assists. Collier Blackburn scored eight of Harding's first 10 points of the second half, connected on three 3-pointers, and scored a season-high 11. Romen Martin, playing for the first time since missing the last six games with an injury, scored 10.
Brian Halums scored 20 points to lead the Lions, who shot under 40% for the first time this season. UAFS shot 39% from the field and made only 6 of 23 3-pointers.
Arkansas-Fort Smith entered the game as one of the top teams in Division II in defending the 3-pointer, limiting its opponents to only 29%, but Harding made 41% (11 of 26) from long range.
After seven first-half lead changes, Harding trailed 28-27 at halftime. In the first 20 minutes, Harding connected on seven 3-pointers. The Bisons were just 2 of 13 inside the arc with baskets coming from Ahmedic at 16:39 and a layup from Harvey with 1:42 left, the last field goal of the half.
In between the two-pointers, Harding, who entered the game shooting below 30% from 3-point range for the season, got three 3s from Divic, two from Martin, and one each from West and Blackburn.
