SHAWNEE -- In a high-energy clash at the Noble Complex, Harding secured a thrilling 84-79 victory over Oklahoma Baptist on Thursday. The win boosted Harding's record to 14-7 overall and 10-5 in the Great American Conference, tying them with OBU, who now stands at 13-8 overall and 10-5 in GAC competition.
Harding's offensive firepower was led by Keyln McBride and Rylie Marshall, each contributing 21 points. McBride shot an impressive 7-of-11 from the field, including 3-of-4 from beyond the arc, while adding five assists and three steals. Marshall was equally lethal, hitting 5-of-8 from three. Sam Smith chipped in 18 points, controlling the paint with efficient 9-of-14 shooting and grabbing four rebounds.
For the green and gold,
Terry Coner Jr. led the charge with 22 points, frequently drawing fouls and converting 8-of-10 from the foul line.
Ricky Brown was nearly flawless, adding 15 points on 6-of-7 shooting, while
Nathan Wilson contributed a double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds.
The game was a nail-biter, with seven ties and four lead changes.
In the first half, Harding was able to attain a 30-20 lead at the 7:32 mark but by halftime, OBU clawed back to bring the score to 39-34.
Second-half action saw HU hit 61.5 percent of their shots. Despite the hosts' efforts to close the gap, including a strong 53.3 percent shooting performance, Harding never trailed for the final 15 minutes. OBU, on three separate occasions, tied the game but could not push through to go back up. As for HU, its solid free throw shooting in the second, making seven of eight, played a pivotal role in earning the road victory.
Oklahoma Baptist dominated the paint, scoring 38 points inside, but Harding's perimeter shooting, particularly from McBride and Marshall, proved decisive. Harding also capitalized on turnovers, scoring nine points off Bison mistakes compared to just four for their opponents.
The closing moments were tense as OBU cut the lead to one with under a minute remaining, but Harding's free-throw shooting, including four straight by McBride and Wesley Booker, sealed the deal.
With the win, its fifth in a row, Harding gains crucial momentum in the GAC standings, while the Bison will look to regroup and bounce back in their next outing. That comes on Feb. 8 at 3 p.m. against Arkansas Tech.
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