Driving around his defender, senior Hayden Johnson dribbles · the ball toward the basket on Jan. 30. Johnson scored 19 points, the second highest during the game. Matt Dobson Sophomore Antoine Burrell shoots the ball over his Southern Nazarene University opponent on Jan. 30. The Bisons won the game 74-66, overcoming their previous loss to SNU on Nov. 23. Matt Dobson Senior Weston Jameson rushes past a defender on Jan. 16 against Southern Arkansas University. From early in the first half, the Bisons led the entire game, finishing 92-80. Janae Callicoat PRESSURE DURING OVERTIME I n a basketball game, players had 40 minutes on the court to put everything they had practiced into action. They had two halves to give their best in hopes of finishing with a win. However, on rare occasions, the two teams played so closely that the regulation 40 minutes ended in a tie, leading to one of the most exciting and intense aspects of basketball: overtime. Overtime was defined as the extra period of play that decided the winner of a game in which the contestants were tied at the end of the regular playing period. In simpler terms, overtime was a second chance. For both teams, it was an extra five minutes to play harder and run more plays. It could be a time of overwhelming pressure and intense emotion. According to head coach Jeff Morgan, overtime could also be a fun and exhilarating part of the game. "There have been several times where I have looked down at the other bench and the other coach and I have caught eyes and we both just kind of grin," Morgan said. "It's just fun. Especially when it happens here at home." Overtime was fun, but it could also be difficult. Having already played a full game, both teams were exhausted going into overtime. For the team who was behind and tied the game last minute, it was an adrenaline rush. For the team who was ahead before the score became tied, it was frustrating. Along with these emotions came the pressure of determining who would have enough endurance to leave the game with a win. "How you perform under pressure is how you are defined as a player," freshman Will Francis said. "At the end of games and in overtime, you have to keep your focus and just make sure that you are doing the things that you have been the whole game." Sophomore Jacob Gibson added that overtime increased the pressure to win. "Overtime games are definitely intense," Gibson. "It feels like everything matters a little bit more. Win or lose, it brings us closer together." Harding had a chance to define itself in overtime on Jan. 18 against the University of Arkansas-Monticello. UAM's Ryan Lensing scored a 3-pointer with seven seconds left in regulation, tying the game at 68-68. Both teams then scored 1 o points in overtime, sending the game into double overtime. Finally, Gibson clinched the victory with a last-minute 3-pointer. Such a victory required endurance and mental toughness, making the double overtime game both memorable and valuable. "What a gutsy effort,'' Morgan said. "We had chances to win it in regulation, but I could not be prouder of these guys." The team played two other overtime games during the 2013-2014 season, one win and one loss. Yet win or lose, Morgan said that the frequency of games during the season forced a quick emotional turn around, leaving no time for a negative reaction. "We really focus a lot on how we respond, positive or negative, all year long,'' Morgan said. "We talk about these kinds of situations, and how you have to be ready to respond positively." With constant practice and positive mindsets, the Bisons used their experiences to adapt and improve themselves, and they were always prepared for an extra five minutes. Shelby Daniel
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