SEARCY, Ark. – JC Curry and
Joshua Udoumoh were instrumental in Oklahoma Baptist's 74-70 win over Harding on Saturday at Rhodes-Reaves Field House.
With leading scorer
Terry Coner Jr., out due to injury, Curry and Udoumoh tallied 21 and 14, points, respectively, and boosted the Bison's record to 10-4 and 7-1 in the Great American Conference. Plus,
Nathan Wilson provided 15 points and nine rebounds while
Ricky Brown added 13 which included a late, clutch three-point shot that tied the game at 67.
Oklahoma Baptist started strong, shooting 59.3 percent from the field in the first half to claim a narrow 43-40 lead at halftime. However, their shooting cooled in the second half, connecting on just 28.1 percent of their attempts. Harding also faced shooting challenges, but their consistent free-throw shooting (80.0 for the game) kept the contest within reach.
For Curry, his 21 points were not only a game-high but a personal-best as he hit 7-of-10 overall including two 3-pointers. Curry also showcased his poise at the free-throw line, making five.
Harding's offense was paced by Keyln McBride, who tallied 19 points and hit three 3-pointers. Wyatt Gilbert chipped in 11 points, and Stetson Smithson controlled the boards with seven while adding 11 points. Plus, Bubby Grant contributed 10 points off the bench.
The game saw 14 ties and 20 lead changes, with neither team able to establish dominance. Defensively OBU held Harding to 36.4 percents shooting from three-point range while forcing 10 turnovers.
In the final moments, OBU got free throws from Wilson and
Daniel Ransom plus a defensive stop on Harding's last possession to win at the end.
That last Harding possession saw leading scorer McBride drive left but a quality effort by Curry and Ransom forced a stop and kept OBU in front for good.
Next on the schedule for OBU is a home date with Ouachita on Jan. 16 at 7:30 p.m.
