26 Jan 2022 Bisons lose lead late, fall to Southwestern Oklahoma

SEARCY — A cold snap late in the second half cost the Harding men’s basketball team on Jan. 22 in a 75-72 loss to Southwestern Oklahoma in Great American Conference play at the Rhodes-Reaves Field House.

The loss dropped Harding to 4-11 overall and 2-7 in conference. Southwestern won its third straight game and improved to 6-9 overall and 5-5 in the GAC.

Stetson Smithson, who led Harding with 24 points, hit a layup with 7:10 left to give the Bisons a 62-53 lead. Harding did not have another field goal the rest of the game, missing its last nine shots. The Bisons’ last 10 points all came at the free-throw line.

Harding led 68-59 on two Taylor Currie free throws with 5:00 left. Southwestern scored 13 straight points over the next four minutes. Damion Thornton hit a jumper with 1:31 left to give the Bulldogs a 70-68 lead.

Harding closed to within 73-72 with 11 seconds remaining on two Sam Henderson free throws, but Southwestern answered with two more free throws for the final margin. Smithson shot 6 of 12 from the field, made four 3-pointers and shot 8 of 8 at the free-throw line. It was his sixth 20-point game of the season and second straight.

Taylor Currie added 16 points, Sam Henderson had 12 and Ramiro Santiago added 10.

Jaylan Williams made five 3-pointers in the first half, finished with six and led Southwestern with 20 points. Thornton added 19.

Southwestern shot 47% from the field, its second-best shooting effort of the season. Harding shot 39%, only its fourth game this season under 40%. The Bisons shot 20 of 23 (87%) from the free-throw line, its third straight game at 80% or better.