Harding Men’s Basketball Drains 3s to Sink NW Oklahoma

Courtesy HU Athletics Department

SEARCY – Harding made 13 3-pointers and shot 54 percent from the field in an 82-66 Great American Conference victory over Northwestern Oklahoma State on Saturday at Rhodes Field House.

The victory was Harding’s eighth straight at home to start the season. It is only the fourth time a Bison team won eight consecutive games at Rhodes and the first since winning nine straight in 2008-09.

Harding improved to 10-3 overall and 3-2 in conference games. The Bisons are part of a three-way tie for third place in the GAC standings ahead of their road game at Henderson State on Thursday. The Reddies are also 3-2 in GAC games.

Northwestern (4-7, 2-3), a provisional member of the GAC and ineligible for the conference tournament, lost its third straight.

Harding made 8-of-15 3-pointers in the first half and led 47-34 at the break.

Northwestern trimmed the Harding lead to seven on two occasions and trailed 53-45 on a Jonathan Freemyer layup with 15:10 left. The Bisons then went on a 14-5 run over the next five minutes that included 3-pointers by Hayden Johnson and Weston Jameson. Harding led by at least 12 points the rest of the way.

Senior Adam Sterrenberg made 6-of-7 from the field, including both of his 3-point attempts, and scored a season-high 16 points. Senior Zach Roddenberry also had 16 points and a team-high eight rebounds.

Harding’s 13 3-pointers marked the third time in the last five games that the Bisons made 10 or more 3-pointers. Harding entered the game as the GAC’s leader from 3-point range, hitting 7.9 per game.

Johnson made four 3-pointers for Harding and had 15 points, and Tony Cochran was 3-of-6 from 3-point range and had 12 points.

Harding had 22 assists on 29 field goals and had six different players with three assists or more. Senior Bradley Spencer led the team with five assists to go with his nine points and three steals.

Northwestern struggled from long range, making only 4-of-16 3-point attempts. The Rangers also missed 19 layups.

Ranger senior Jonathan Freemyer had a team-high 13 points, and senior Daryl Glover added 12. Senior Marshall Bell came off the bench, made two of Northwestern’s four 3-pointers, and finished with 10 points.