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   The University of Arkansas-Monticello Boll Weevils lost a heartbreaker to the Harding Bison (12-9, 5-3) Feb. 2 in Searcy. Senior Nate Newell's efforts failed as he tried to put a 4-0 mark on his career record at the Rhodes Field House, losing to the Bison 79-70. 

   Newell, as of Jan. 28, was second in the nation in points per game with a mark of 25.3. The player in front of Newell, Gil Goodrich a senior at Bowie State University, averaged 27.1 as of Jan. 28. In a game versus Fayetteville State Feb. 3, Goodrich scored 13 points, dropping his average to 26.8. Newell torched the Bison and their highly-respected crowd -- known as the Rhodes Rowdies -- for 41 points, raising his average to 26.1. 

   Newell scored 25 in the first half against the Bison. He hit four three-pointers and was 5-5 from the charity stripe in the first half. Newell awaited the crowd to taunt, but it was very mild until the 15:48 mark. Newell scored his first basket of the night, a jumper, and he caught some taunts from the crowd. He issued one back that was a simple finger over the lips, hushing the crowd. From then on, the crowd would mock Newell by hushing him every time he touched the ball.  

   In the first half, Matt Hall led Harding in scoring. Hall scored 15 going 6-7 from the field and 2-2 from the three-point line. The Boll Weevils Torre Doty, a senior from Austin, Texas, helped the Boll Weevils by adding nine points of his own in the first half. At the end of the first half of play, UAM was down four to the Harding Bison, 46-42. 

   To begin the second half, Newell hit a lay-up to keep the game within four after a Harding lay-up; then trouble started for the Boll Weevils. Newell’s score came at the 18:41 mark in the half, and the Boll Weevils would not score another point until the 8:42 mark. Mjumbe Williams, a senior from Compton, Calif., hit a pair of free throws to end the scoreless streak. The Harding Bison went on a 16-0 run during the UAM scoring drought, but even the Bison themselves had a period of about three minutes where they could not score. 

   The Boll Weevils found themselves down 18 with 8:10 remaining. Newell hit a pair of free throws and then the ball began to roll for a UAM comeback. Newell went on to hit 11 more points in the last stretch of the game, bringing UAM within 10 with 2:04 remaining in the game. The Boll Weevils ran out of time in the comeback effort but they were able to get within seven with 17 seconds left. Harding’s Hall sealed the game with a two-handed dunk, leaving the Boll Weevils saddened with a 79-70 loss.     

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