SEARCY – Harding made only one basket in overtime Thursday, but it was a big one, a 3-pointer from freshman Gabriel Divic, and the Bisons defeated Arkansas-Monticello 65-63 on Thursday in the Great American Conference opener for both teams at the Rhodes-Reaves Field House.

Harding (3-3, 1-0) won its GAC opener for the fourth time in the last five seasons and snapped a five-game skid against Arkansas-Monticello (2-3, 0-1).

UAM's Austin Hardy made a 3-pointer less than a minute into overtime to give the Weevils a 56-53 lead. Neither team scored for the next two minutes until Harding's JV Long made two free throws with 2:00 left. Divic, who missed his first 10 shot attempts of the game, hit No. 11 from the top of the key with 1:20 left to put Harding ahead for good at 58-56. The Bisons held onto the lead by connecting on eight free throws down the stretch and 9-of-12 in the overtime period.

Junior transfer Colin Hale scored 17 of his career-high 21 points in the second half to aid in the Bison comeback. Adam Horn added 13 points, and Romen Martin scored 11 off the bench for Harding.

KJ Lesure led UAM with 15 points but shot 5-of-18 from the field. Hardy added 14 points and eight rebounds for the Weevils, who shot only 36 percent for the game and went 2-of-6 in overtime.

Harding trailed by as many as seven points (38-31) in the second half, but Reggie Anthony's layup with just under a minute left in regulation sent the game into overtime tied at 53.

Harding led 27-24 at halftime. Two Martin layups in the final minute pushed Harding into the lead.

Harding returns to the Rhodes-Reaves Field House on Saturday to host Southern Arkansas at 7:30 p.m. Southern Arkansas defeated Henderson State 94-71 Thursday at home.

FACTS AND FIGURES

Harding improved to 6-2 in GAC season openers

UAM has lost both of its road games this season, and Harding improved to 3-0 at home

Harding head coach Jeff Morgan improved to 29-24 overall and 18-8 in Searcy against UAM

UAM now leads the series 66-59, but Harding holds a 38-25 lead in Searcy

Harding shot 34.3 percent in the win ... the last time Harding shot lower than 34.3 percent and won was in an 82-69 victory over Lambuth on Nov. 18, 2010 in a game that Harding shot 45-of-51 from the free-throw line ... Harding shot 34.0 percent in that game.

UAM's Darnell Wright blocked eight shots, one off the Harding opponent record of nine by Melvyn Oliver of Shepherd Tech in 2012