Bisons Rally in Second Half, Weevils Fall 57-50

Courtesy University of Arkansas at Monticello Athletics Department

SEARCY, Ark. – After limiting Harding to just 10 points in the first half, the University of Arkansas at Monticello men’s basketball team was outscored 44-27 in the second half to suffer a 57-50 loss to the Bisons on Saturday night on the road inside Rhodes Field House.

UAM (9-6, 4-5 Great American Conference) held HU (14-3, 7-2) to just five made field goals in the first 20 minutes, but the Bisons responded with a 13-of-17 performance in the second half to up its overall shooting numbers to 43 percent for the game. The Boll Weevils were held to just 36 percent in the first half (10-of-28) and 32 percent in the second half (7-of-22).

UAM led by as much as 15 points in the first half, but lost its double-digit lead five minutes into the second half when the Bisons posted an 8-2 run to pull to within six points at the 14:40 mark. The Bisons answered a Ramon Mejia three-pointer with a 7-2 scoring run a minute later to pull to within four points. HU had not been that close since the 13:29 mark of the first half.

Harding kept chipping away at the lead, getting to within two points at the 6:34 mark on a three-pointer from Weston Jameson. The Bisons forced the first tie of the game and took its first lead on a pair of free-throws from Zach Roddenberry with 2:58 remaining. Jameson followed those free throws with a jumper to give the Bisons a three-point lead with 1:58 remaining.

UAM’s Josh Gibson responded with a three-pointer on the ensuing possession to force the game’s final tie score with 1:36 left on the clock.

Harding scored the game’s final seven points, including a 5-for-5 free-throw shooting performance in the last minute to seal the come-from-behind victory in front of its home crowd of 2,084.

Senior Kori Forge and junior Dayton Mickens tied for the team lead in points with 11. HU’s Zach Roddenberry led all scorers with 22 points.

The Boll Weevils are back in action next Thursday, January 24 at home against Southern Arkansas. Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m. inside Steelman Fieldhouse.

 

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