ARKADELPHIA, Ark. – Scoring 13 straight points over a four-minute stretch midway through the second half, Harding came from behind to defeat Ouachita Baptist 79-71 on Thursday in the Great American Conference opener for both teams.

Harding trailed 53-52 with 11 minutes left in the game. Four different Bisons scored on layups on Harding's next four possessions to spark the run that put the team ahead for good. Sam Henderson, Stetson Smithson, Keyln McBride and Brahm Harris all scored on layups. Harris finished a traditional three-point play, then added another layup and Henderson laid one in to give Harding a 65-53 lead with just over seven minutes left.

Harding pushed the lead to as many as 15 and led the rest of the way.

Harding connected on 10-of-17 3-pointers and shot 50.1% from the field for the game.

Henderson led Harding with 19 points and Harris added a season-high 17 points. Rylie Marshall added 13 points, and McBride scored all 12 of his points in the second half.

Harding connected on 5 of 9 3-pointers in the first half and trailed 35-33 at the break. Ouachita scored 20 of its 35 points in the paint.

Marshall led Harding with 10 points, and Smithson had 10 first-half rebounds.

There were six ties and four lead changes in the first half.

TEAM NOTES

·         Harding had made 32 of 57 3-pointers (56%) over the last three games.

·         Harding won its conference opener for the first time since 2018.

·         Harding shot 50.9% from the field, the fifth time in seven games that the Bisons have shot 50% or better.

·         Harding's bench outscored Ouachita's bench 25-11 with 17 from Harris and eight from Abou Gbane.

INDIVIDUAL NOTES

·         Henderson led HU with 19 points, his fourth straight game in double figures … he is 5-of-6 from 3-point range in the last two games.

·         Harris scored a season-high 17 points … he shot 6-of-10 from the field and is 9-of-16 in the last two games.

·         Marshall made all three of his 3-point attempts and scored 17 points … he is 11-of-14 (79%) from 3-point range in the last three games.

·         McBride played all 40 minutes for the second time this season and had four assists with no turnovers.

·         Smithson tied a career high with 14 rebounds.

SERIES NOTES

·         Harding won at Ouachita for only the third time in 13 GAC games in Arkadelphia … HU's other wins came in 2018 and 2021.

·         Harding snapped OBU's three-game winning streak in the series.

UP NEXT

·         Harding hosts Southern Arkansas on Saturday at Rhodes-Reaves Field House … tipoff is at 3 p.m.