ADA, Okla. – The East Central University men's basketball team faced off against Harding University in a home contest on Thursday night but was unable to claim a lead, falling 67-55.
 
With the loss, ECU drops to 8-11 in GAC play while Harding improves to 14-5.
 
The Tigers had a short turnaround from their rescheduled game against SNU on Monday, playing their fourth game in the span of a week. They opened the first half looking to score early, finding Brandon Mann to quickly tie the game at 2-2. A 10-2 run by Harding gave them a 12-4 advantage before six consecutive points from Mann and a layup by Jordan England tied the game again at 12-12. ECU later evened the score at 20-20 and again at 22-22 with 5:47 on the clock, but Harding closed the half on a 15-2 run to create separation and take a 37-24 lead into halftime.
 
In the second half, ECU continued to chip away at the deficit as Brandon Mann opened the stretch with a strong hook shot in the lane, followed by a layup from Jordan England to bring the Tigers within 11. The offense found a rhythm when Jaden Miller and Rustin Coffey knocked down back-to-back three-pointers, cutting the margin to nine and giving ECU momentum. Despite the push, a decisive 9-0 run by the Bison swung the game back the other way, building a game-high 19-point lead at 61-42 before the contest was ultimately settled at 67-55.
 
The teams were nearly even in several categories, including field goal percentage (40%), rebounds (35-33), and points in the paint (32-30). However, Harding held the advantage at the free-throw line, going 12-of-18 compared to ECU's 3-of-9.
 
Brandon Mann led the Tigers with 19 points on 8-of-9 shooting from the field, providing a bright spot for ECU. Jordan England added eight points and three rebounds.