SEARCY – Harding used dominant post play to win its fifth straight game Saturday with a 63-54 victory over Southern Arkansas in Great American Conference play at the Rhodes-Reaves Field House.

Harding (14-13, 10-9) outscored Southern Arkansas 32-8 in the paint to win for the eighth time in its last nine games and remain alone in fourth place in the conference standings.

Southern Arkansas (8-17, 7-12) lost for the 13th time in its last 14 trips to Searcy and dropped to a tie for ninth in the GAC. Only the top eight teams advance to the conference tournament, and each team has three games remaining.

Harding built an early lead with a 10-0 run early in the first quarter and led 19-12 after one. The Lady Bisons led by as many as 14 early in the second quarter, and Southern Arkansas never got closer than four.

Falan Miller made four 3-pointers in the first half and led Harding with 15 points. Sydney Layrock added 14 points and seven rebounds, and Kellie Lampo (11) and Kennedy Cooper (10) were also in double figures.

Olivia McWilliams and Ramiah Henry both scored 13 points to lead Southern Arkansas.

Southern Arkansas shot only 33 percent but made 8 of 17 from 3-point range, nearly double their season average of 4.4 3s per game.

Harding shot 39 percent, outscored Southern Arkansas 15-8 at the free-throw line, and held a 50-35 rebound advantage. Harding had 17 offensive rebounds and outscored Southern Arkansas 15-2 on second-chance points.

Harding will go back on the road Monday and take on Arkansas Tech in Russellville in its final away game of the season.