WEATHERFORD, Okla. – Despite having a 12-point lead at halftime against Harding and four players scoring in double digits, SWOSU Basketball fell to Harding 82-72 on Thursday following a lackluster second half.

After shooting 50% in the first half and taking a 12-point lead into the break, SWOSU shot just 21% in the second half and was outscored 49-27 to close the game out.

Midway through the first half the Bulldogs busted off a 12-0 scoring run, highlighted by a Jaylan Williams rebound on his own missed shot followed by his own 3-pointer in the same sequence. Ben Smith had an emphatic dunk that then gave SWOSU a 29-20 advantage and the Pioneer Cellular Event Center was rocking. SWOSU managed to build a double-digit lead at halftime and took a 45-33 going into the locker room.

Damion Thornton scored 14 points in the first half. SWOSU dominated the boards and recorded seven offensive rebounds while not giving up one second chance themselves. Seven Bulldog offense boards translated into 11 second chance points for the home team.

The second half was quite the opposite from the first. It began when Harding, now five minutes into the half, cut SWOSU's lead in half by opening on an 11-7 run. 

Harding took the lead at the 12:59 mark with a 3-pointer making the score 51-50, and then lead with a 63-59 advantage further into the half. SWOSU went on a 5-0 run and got the lead back, when DeAngelo Adkins scored a 3-pointer with six minutes left to play.

This would be the last time the Bulldogs had a lead in the game, as the Bison closed the game on a 19-8 run and won the game 82-72.

Thornton scored 21 points and was a rebound shy of recording a double-double. Adkins scored 19 points and both Williams and Chris Braggs, Jr. scored 11 points.

SWOSU falls to 9-14 and 8-10 in Great American Conference play. SWOSU will play its next game, 3 p.m. Saturday at home against Arkansas Tech for Senior Day.