SEARCY, Arkansas – Oklahoma Baptist made a game of things in the second half, but Harding had the answers – usually from three-point range – and took a 79-65.
Harding is the preseason favorite to win the league title.
The hosts led OBU by as many as 18 points in the first half with Reggie Anthony coming off the bench for 12 points, four assists and two offensive rebounds in the first 20 minutes.
Steven Green scored 12 second half points to help OBU cut that lead back to 47-46 with 15:45 left in the game and got within three, 56-53, with 9:05 left on a Chandler Rickey free throw.
Harding kept hitting clutch three-pointers to answer OBU runs and built the lead back up to 73-57 with 3:25 to play.
OBU got 19 points from Green, 16 from Rickey and 12 from Vladimir Nemcok. Rickey led the Bison with seven rebounds and Nemcok had five assists.
Now 3-3 overall and 1-3 in the Great American Conference, return to action Saturday at home at 2 p.m. against Manhattan Christian. That game originally was scheduled for 3 p.m.
