BETHANY, Okla. — Freshman Kori Sanders scored a game-high 21 points and grabbed seven rebounds to lead No. 17 Harding to a gritty 65-57 victory over Southern Nazarene on Thursday night at the Sawyer Center.

With the win, Harding (11-2, 5-2 Great American Conference) broke out of a five-way tie for second place in the league standings and snapped an eight-game losing streak at the Sawyer Center. The Lady Bisons also remained perfect on the road this season, moving to 5-0 away from Searcy.

Sanders played all 40 minutes for the second time in conference play, shooting 6-of-10 from the field and 3-of-5 from 3-point range.

In a physical, defensive battle where neither team shot above 33 percent, Harding made the decisive plays in the fourth quarter. Southern Nazarene (4-7, 4-3) took a 48-47 lead—its first of the second half—on a 3-pointer by Halyn Browning with 7:06 remaining.

Harding responded immediately. Kennedy Stout hit two free throws to reclaim the lead, and moments later, Alli McAda tipped in a miss to extend the advantage. Harding outscored the Crimson Storm 22-15 in the final period, converting 9-of-10 free throws in the quarter to seal the victory.

Stout finished with 12 points, seven rebounds, and three blocks. Sophomore Allie Rehl provided a massive spark off the bench, finishing with 14 points and a career-high eight rebounds. Rehl was a perfect 6-of-6 from the free-throw line. Maddi Holt added 11 points for the Lady Bisons.

Harding dominated the glass, outrebounding Southern Nazarene 52-36. The Lady Bisons pulled down 20 offensive rebounds, which they converted into 18 second-chance points. Alli McAda led the rebounding effort with nine boards.

Jillian Crawford led Southern Nazarene with 11 points, while Boston Berry added nine points off the bench. The Crimson Storm shot just 19.2 percent (5-of-26) from 3-point range.

Harding returns to action Saturday in Shawnee, Oklahoma, facing Oklahoma Baptist. Tipoff is scheduled for 1 p.m.