SKIATOOK, Okla. — Harding had a great night from the free-throw line in their season opener but struggled with their shooting everywhere else, falling to the Arkansas-Fort Smith Lions, 75-64, in the Central Region Challenge on Friday night.
Harding connected on only 16 of 59 field goal attempts, finishing at a chilly 27.1% overall. The struggles were particularly rough from beyond the arc, where the Bisons converted just 3 of 28 attempts (10.7%). At the line, the Bisons hit 29-of-34 attempts (85.3%) to keep the game close.
The scoring effort was balanced, with three Bisons tying for the team lead with nine points each: starting guards Wesley Booker and Keyln McBride and reserve Marko Rangan. Booker delivered a productive night, leading the team with eight rebounds and shooting 7-of-8 from the free-throw line.
Rangan and Rece Hipp (8 points, 2-of-3 from three), anchored a bench unit that contributed 29 points. Hipp provided a much-needed spark in the second half, hitting both of his three-pointers in the final minutes. Ty Suess came off the bench to score eight points, shooting a perfect 6-for-6 performance at the charity stripe.
Arkansas-Fort Smith (1-0) used a 6-0 run early in the first half to establish control, punctuated by a three-pointer from Brandon Scott and a layup from Kameron Johnson. The Lions maintained a steady lead and entered the locker room with an eight-point advantage, 36-28.
UAFS of the MIAA quickly extended that lead in the second half, using a 15-point swing fueled by a three-pointer from Jack Hoth to take a 60-41 lead at the 8:32 mark, the largest of the game.
The Bisons continued to fight back, drawing fouls and converting at the line. However, they were hampered by foul trouble, losing Reggie Webster late in the second half after the freshman guard committed his fifth foul at the 3:05 mark.
UAFS saw a game-high 17 points from Hoth and got a strong performance from Christian Moore, who dished out seven assists. The Lions' superior shooting (47.3% FG, 50.0% 3FG) proved to be the deciding factor.
Harding will look to tomorrow at the Central Region Challenge when it takes on Rogers State, also of the MIAA.
