BETHANY, Okla. — In a clash of conference heavyweights, Harding delivered a signature road victory, defeating No. 7 Southern Nazarene 74-67 on Thursday night at the Sawyer Center.
The win marked Harding's third road victory over a top-10 ranked team in program history and its first since 2011. The Bisons (10-3, 6-1 GAC) moved into sole possession of second place in the Great American Conference standings, snapping SNU's (11-2, 5-2 GAC) perfect 7-0 home record.
Keyln McBride led the charge with 16 points and six assists, orchestrating a Harding offense that shot 54.5 percent from the field and 60.9 percent in the second half. McBride connected on 3-of-5 from deep, moving him to exactly 200 career 3-pointers, becoming just the fourth player in Harding history to reach that milestone (joined Will Francis, Jacob Gibson and Aaron Farley).
The game was a defensive battle early, with Harding taking a slim 32-30 lead into halftime. The Bisons seized control after the break, fueled by a balanced attack and timely shooting. Thompson Camara and Wesley Booker each scored 12 points, with Booker adding a team-high 14 rebounds for his fourth double-double of the season. Freshman Reggie Webster also added 12 points and three assists.
Harding extended its lead to as many as 13 points midway through the second half. Southern Nazarene, led by Malik Edwards' 16 points and Bam Johnson's 16 points, made several runs but could never reclaim the lead. The Crimson Storm shot 44.2 percent from the floor but struggled from the free-throw line in the second half (7-of-12).
Ornette Gaines provided a huge spark off the bench for the Bisons, scoring 10 points on 4-of-7 shooting, including two critical 3-pointers.
The victory holds special significance for Harding head coach Weston Jameson, who was a player on the 2011 team that defeated No. 2 Alabama-Huntsville (made 6 3-pointers and scored 20 points) and the 2013 squad that was the last Harding team to win in Bethany.
Harding continues its Oklahoma road trip on Saturday, facing Oklahoma Baptist in Shawnee at 3 p.m.
