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Harding University Athletics

Men's Basketball
75
Northwestern Okla. NW 8-8,6-4 GAC
83
Winner Harding Hard 7-9,4-6 GAC
Northwestern Okla. NW
8-8,6-4 GAC
75
Final
83
Harding Hard
7-9,4-6 GAC
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Northwestern Okla. NW 30 45 75
Harding Hard 47 36 83

Game Recap: Men's Basketball | | Scott Goode (1/20/24)

McBride's 23-Point Performance Leads Harding to Consecutive GAC Wins

SEARCY – Harding used a 17-point halftime lead and made 27 free throws to earn an 83-75 victory over Northwestern Oklahoma on Saturday in Great American Conference men's action at the Rhodes-Reaves Field House.

With the win over Southwestern Oklahoma on Thursday, Harding won consecutive conference games for the second time this season and improved to 7-9 overall and 4-6 in conference. Northwestern Oklahoma dropped to 8-8 overall and 6-4 in conference.

Keyln McBride led Harding with 23 points, connecting on all 15 of his free throws. Rylie Marshall had 16 points and six assists, Brahm Harris added 15 point and nine rebounds, and Sam Henderson added 14 points.

Harding led 72-68 as the clock ticked below two minutes. With the shot clock winding down, Marshall found an open Henderson in the corner for a 3-pointer to boost Harding's lead back to seven.

On the next possession another pinpoint pass from Marshall to Sam Smith for a dunk sealed the victory. McBride added four free throws, Harris had a breakaway dunk in the final minute.

Northwestern led 11-8 early before Harding had one of its best offensive spurts of the season. The run started with a pair of 3s from Harris and McBride, and Harding outscored Northwestern 21-4 over the next five minutes and led 29-15 with 7:26 left.

The Rangers responded with nine straight points, but the Bisons closed the half on a 15-4 run that gave them a 47-30 lead at the break.

Harding made five 3-pointers in the first half and shot 16 of 17 at the line. Northwestern was 0 of 7 from 3-point range and made just 4 of 10 free throws.

Harris made a 3-pointer to open the second half and push Harding's lead to 20 points. Northwestern increased its defensive intensity and began to chip away. The Rangers got within eight points three times before a right-corner 3-pointer and a driving layup with 4:09 left cut the lead to 71-66.

TEAM NOTES
  • Harding shot 27 of 30 (90%) at the free-throw line ... HU last made 27 or more free throws in a game in a 99-95 overtime win over Arkansas Tech on Feb. 13, 2020, when the Bisons made 29 of 36.
INDIVIDUAL NOTES
  • Keyln McBride made 15 of 15 from the free-throw line to tie the Harding record for most free throws made in a game without a miss ... the last HU player to make 15 of 15 at the line was Marvin Levels at Southern St. (now Southern Arkansas) on Dec. 16, 1968 ... McBride is the first player ever to go 15 of 15 or better at the Rhodes-Reaves Field House ... McBride scored 23 points, his third 20-point game of the season and fourth of his career ... he was one point off his career high.
  • Rylie Marshall had 16 points and six assists ... it is the first time in his career he has had 10+ points and 5+ assists in the same game.
  • Brahm Harris had seven offensive rebounds, the most by a Harding player this season, topping the previous high of five by Sam Smith vs. Central Missouri on Nov. 11, 2023.
  • Sam Henderson scored 14 points and made a 3-pointer ... he has at least one 3-pointer in 14 of 16 games this season.
SERIES NOTES
  • The series is tied 11-11, and Harding leads 7-4 in Searcy.
UP NEXT
  • Harding travels to Russellville, Arkansas, on Thursday to take on Arkansas Tech at Tucker Coliseum.

 
Gallery: (1-20-2024) 2023-24 mbball vs. Northwestern Okla.

 
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