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Harding University Athletics

Harding Men's Basketball
88
Winner East Central ECU 4-7,2-3 GAC
81
Harding Hard 3-8,1-4 GAC
Winner
East Central ECU
4-7,2-3 GAC
88
Final
81
Harding Hard
3-8,1-4 GAC
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
East Central ECU 48 40 88
Harding Hard 36 45 81

Game Recap: Men's Basketball | | Scott Goode (12/30/21)

East Central Holds Off Harding Comeback, Bisons Fall 88-81

SEARCY – Ramiro Santiago scored a season-high 23 points and a career-high 10 rebounds and helped lead Harding back from a 15-point second-half deficit, but Harding fell 88-81 to East Central Thursday at in Great American Conference action at the Rhodes-Reaves Field House.

East Central's lead was 15 at 73-58 with 6:36 left, but Harding battled back for the second time in the half. The Bisons went on a 12-2 run that included 3s from Santiago and Romen Martin. Martin's 3-pointer cut the Tiger lead to 75-70.

On the next trip down, Martin drew a charging foul giving the Bisons the ball back. Taylor Currie hit a short jumper from the left block and was fouled. He hit the free throw to pull Harding within 75-73 with 2:44 left.

East Central's Josh Apple made a 3-pointer at the top of the key with 1:39 left to end Harding's 12-0 run. Brennen Burns gave the Tigers an 80-73 lead with a driving layup with 54 seconds left.

Harding did not score again until Currie hit a long 3-pointer with 23 seconds on the clock. East Central made eight free throws in the final minute to hold off the Bisons.

"I thought we found a little spark," Harding head coach Jeff Morgan said. "We played really well in the half court offense but we have to do a better job finishing around the rim."

The loss was Harding's fourth consecutive and dropped the Bisons to 3-8 overall and 1-4 in conference. East Central won its ninth straight in the series and improved to 4-7 overall and 2-3 in the GAC.

Santiago made a career-high six 3-pointers. The Bisons made 14 3s, a season high.

East Central took advantage of 10 Harding turnovers in the first half, converting them into a 15-0 points-off-turnovers advantage and a 48-36 halftime lead.

The Tigers scored 26 first-half points in the paint to six for Harding.

The Bisons kept the game close in the first half with strong 3-point shooting. Harding made 8 of 14 (57%) from 3-point range. Santiago had three of the 3s, and Sam Henderson added two.

Early in the second half, Harding cut the lead to six at 51-45 on a 3-pointer from Davis Morgan with 17:09 left. The Bisons did not have another field goal until Currie's put back layup at the 9:53 mark. East Central pushed its lead to 15 at 65-50 just before Currie's basket.

Currie had 19 points and 10 rebounds for his second double-double of the season. Martin added 11 points.

Apple led East Central with 23 points and 10 rebounds.

Harding returns to the Rhodes-Reaves Field House Saturday to host Southeastern Oklahoma at 3 p.m.

 
Gallery: (12-30-2021) Men's Basketball vs. East Central

 
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