SHAWNEE, Okla. – No. 2 seed Arkansas Tech scored eight straight points late in the second half to erase No. 7 Harding's lead and end the Bisons' season 67-65 on Thursday in the quarterfinals of the 2024 Great American Conference Tournament at FireLake Arena.

Harding concluded the season 12-17 overall, its most wins since going 14-13 in the 2016-17 season. Arkansas Tech advances to meet the winner of No. 3 Northwestern Oklahoma and No. 6 Southwestern Oklahoma in one of Saturday's semifinals.

Harding led for more than 30 minutes of the game and held a 61-57 advantage after a Brahm Harris free throw with 6:21 left in the game.

Tech reeled off the next eight points and held off Harding down the stretch. Neither team scored in the final 2:38. Harding had a long 3-pointer at the buzzer to win it, but the shot fell short.

Rylie Marshall, a Second Team All-GAC honoree, led Harding with 17 points. He was a perfect 7-of-7 from the free-throw line. Sam Henderson added 11 points, and J.T.Smith had nine points, a team-high seven rebounds, and a team-best six assists.

Defensively, Harding held GAC Player of the Year Taelon Peter to only five points and limited the Wonder Boys to only 36% shooting.

Harding used a 13-0 run early in the first half to build a 16-7 lead with 14:20 left. The Bisons twice led by 10, the second time on a J.T. Smith jumper in the lane with 9:58 left that had Harding ahead 23-13.

Tech chipped away at the Harding lead and tied the game at 30-30 with 4:38 left. Harding answered with consecutive 3-pointers from Marshall and Henderson and led 36-33 at halftime.