SEARCY, Ark.—On a night where both teams struggled from the floor for much of the game, No. 16 Harding used a 20-point advantage at the free throw line to rally from a 12-point first-half deficit on their way to a 62-43 win over the Christian Brothers University Bucs Saturday night.

The Bucs (17-9, 5-7 GSC West) used an 18-6 run to build a 22-10 lead on an Alex Rogers (Cincinnati, Ohio/Oak Hills HS) jumper with 5:23 remaining in the first half.  The Bucs' defense was smothering, holding the Bisons to just five field goals in the opening half, but the Bisons were 8-of-10 at the free throw line as they cut the Bucs' lead to 28-18 at halftime.

In the second half, the Bisons (21-3, 11-1) out-scored the Bucs 44-15, shooting 70.6 percent (12-of-17) overall and a perfect 17-of-17 at the free throw line.  Meanwhile, the Bucs went cold from the field, shooting just 19 percent (4-of-21) in the second half, including no field goals made after Michael Drake (Little Rock, Ark./Catholic HS) hit a three with 9:22 remaining.

Drake led the Bucs with 15 points and three steals before fouling out in just 17 minutes.  Alex Rogers (Cincinnati, Ohio/Oak Hills HS) scored eight with six rebounds before fouling out, and Green scored seven.

Kevin Brown led Harding with 22 points and four blocks.  Stephen Blake scored 16, and Bradley Spencer scored nine with 10 rebounds and five assists.

For the game, the Bucs shot 32 percent (16-of-50) to the Bisons' 45.9 percent (17-of-37).  Harding was a near-perfect 92.6 percent (25-of-27) at the line, while the Bucs were 83.3 percent (5-of-6).  The Bucs forced 12 turnovers while committing eight, but they were out-rebounded 34-21, with each team grabbing seven offensive boards.

The loss, combined with Arkansas-Monticello's win at Ouachita Baptist, puts the Bucs in a tie with UAM for the fourth and final GSC West Division berth in next month's GSC Tournament.  UAM currently holds the tiebreaker by virtue of a sweep over sixth-place Ouachita Baptist.  Both CBU and UAM face Delta State and Southern Arkansas in the final week.

The Bucs come home Thursday night to take on Delta State for Senior Night at 7 p.m.  They finish the regular season at Southern Arkansas next Saturday night at 7:30 p.m.