SEARCY, Ark. – The East Central University men's basketball team faced a hot-shooting Harding University squad on Saturday, falling 96–62 in Great American Conference action inside the Rhodes-Reaves Field House.
 
With the loss, ECU drops to 2–8 in GAC play, while Harding improves to 8–2. The Tigers will look to regroup as they return to Ada on Thursday, Jan. 22 for a rivalry matchup against Southeastern Oklahoma State University.
 
The Tigers competed early, trading baskets through the opening minutes and taking a 15–12 lead following a layup from Jaden Miller. But Harding responded with an 11–0 run to swing the momentum and carried that surge into halftime, building a 48–34 advantage behind efficient shooting.
 
Coming out of the break, the Bisons continued to build separation, opening the second half with eight unanswered points to push the lead into double figures. A flurry of three-pointers throughout the period allowed Harding to pull away, extending the margin to as many as 36 points.
 
ECU struggled to regain offensive rhythm in the second half, including a stretch of more than seven minutes without a field goal, while Harding maintained control. The Tigers were also challenged on the boards, as Harding held a 40–21 rebounding advantage.
 
Brandon Mann led ECU with a game-high 20 points, while Rustin Coffey added 13 points to round out the Tigers' double-figure scorers.