Searcy, Ark. - Northwestern traveled to Arkansas for a two game road trip, as the opened the Arkansas trip with an 83-80 victory over Harding Thursday evening. Northwestern led most the way in this one before Harding took an 80-78 lead but the Rangers scored five straight at the foul line for a three point victory. 
 

The Rangers improve to 10-6 on the season with a 5-5 conference record following the victory as Harding falls to 4-10 on the year. 
 

Northwestern was led in scoring by Brian Free as one of four double figure scorers Thursday. He was joined by Bubba Furlong with 18, Malik Parsons with 13 and Larry White with 11. Furlong led the team with eight rebounds and three blocks. Parsons led the team with five of the team's 10 steals.
 

1st Half - Both teams started the half strong knocking down back-to-back three-pointers to open the game as Free got the scoring started for the Rangers. Anthony Jones assisted on the Free three pointer for The Rangers. Larry White added to the momentum with a steal and a fast break dunk for two quick points. The Bison fired back with a three-pointer which gave them a one-point lead over The Rangers at the first media timeout (8-7). 
 

Out of the media timeout Northwestern would knock down two free throws from Malik Parsons pushing  the Rangers back in front out of the timeout. Both teams exchanged baskets back and forth, hitting a stalemate in the opening half. A hook shot and made jumper by Bubba Furlong kept the Rangers with the lead at 15-13 heading into the second media timeout. Furlong scored six straight for the Rangers in this stretch from 10 first half points.
 

Eric Hancik contributed off the bench for the Rangers sinking a three pointer almost halfway through the half. The defensive intensity would rise as the two teams would force turnovers through the next stretch. The Bison broke out of the stillness with a layup. Ranger forward Ravel Moody quickly responded with a layup. Hancik capitalized off a Bison turnover with another made layup taking the Rangers to a 24-17 lead. Furlong contributed with two back to back jumpers going into the last media timeout. The Bison scored first with a three but The Rangers quickly answered back with a block and layup by Hancik. Two layups by Anthony Jones with less than a minute left in the half added to the Ranger lead of 41-34. This would be the halftime score as the Rangers would carry a seven point lead into the break.
 

2nd Half - The Bisons scored first in the second half firing off an early three replicating the opening half. Free quickly responded for the Rangers again by scoring another three to open the half. Teammate White contributed by scoring a fastbreak layup following a Bisons turnover. Furlong added an additional layup to keep the Rangers ahead 48-42 going into the first media timeout. 
 

White came out of the timeout with a fastbreak dunk off a Bison turnover. Parsons capitalized on another turnover and sank a three pointer. The teams scored back and forth until an offensive rebound and shot by Moody maintained the Rangers lead 57-50 heading into the next media timeout. 
 

The Rangers would continue to control the game through both sides of the floor as out of the timeout Free would create a turnover before knocking down a jumper on the other end of the floor. This would give the Red-and-Black their largest lead at the point with a 60-50 lead. Furlong quickly extended the lead with a layup moving the lead to 12. Harding would score the next eight straight though rapidly cutting their deficit back down to four about the halfway point of the half.
 

Northwestern maintained the four point lead through the next four minutes going to the under eight timeout with a 70-66 lead. Jones would push the lead to five at 77-72 heading into the final media timeout of the evening. Harding out of the timeout made their final push of the night going on an 8-1 run to take their first lead since the 14 minute mark of the first half at 80-78 with just over a minute to play. 
 

The Red-and-Black would take advantage of two offensive rebounds the next time down the floor as Free would draw a foul and tie the game at 80-80 following two foul shots. White followed by creating a steal, and knocking down a foul shot to push the Rangers back in front 81-80 over the Bisons. After a Harding miss, Free knocked down two foul shots to seal the Rangers 83-80 victory, snapping a two game losing streak. 
 

Northwestern will return to action on Saturday at 3:00 PM in Russellville Arkansas against Arkansas Tech following the Lady Rangers game at 1:00 to close out the road trip.