SEARCY, Arkansas – The Ouachita Baptist University men's basketball team held off a late Harding rally to defeat the Bisons on their own home court on Saturday by a final score of 82-75.
The Tigers (5-15, 3-11 GAC) had a big enough cushion from their first half performance to hold the lead for the entirety of the game. Ouachita outscored Harding (4-15, 2-11 GAC) 43-28 in the first half, but the Bisons outscored Ouachita 47-39 in the second half.
Ouachita led by as many as 18 points in Saturday's with that large lead coming late in the first half. Harding slowly chipped away at that Tiger lead, and by the 8:10 mark of the second half, the Bisons had trimmed down to the deficit to make it a one-possession game. Ouachita responded, and grew that lead back up to double-digits with 5:33 remaining.
Harding again rallied, this time trimming the Ouachita lead down to two with 1:36 remaining. The Tigers responded with a clutch three-pointer by
Ma'Darius Hobson with 1:15 remaining. With Harding forced to foul, the Tigers iced the win by making all eight of their free throw shots in the final 45 seconds.
Hobson finished the night with 24 points a season-high five three-pointers made.
Alex Scariolo and
Tylar Haynes also reached double-digits in scoring with 15 and 14 points, respectively.
The Tigers will now prepare for the next three games at home inside Bill Vining Arena, starting Monday, February 7 against cross-street rival Henderson State. Monday's game is scheduled for a 7:30 p.m. tipoff.
