BARTLESVILLE, Okla. - Great American Conference Freshman of the Year CJ Elkins split a pair of Southwestern Oklahoma State defenders on an obstructed path to the basket connecting on a go-ahead off-glass shot with nine seconds left, before the Muleriders engineered a defensive stand to give Southern Arkansas an 83-82 win over SWOSU in the opening round of the 2016 GAC Tournament Championships on Thursday night inside Bruin Fieldhouse.

It was a tale of two halves for both squads in the tournament's fourth quarterfinal matchup. A frantically urgent pace developed early on, but it was Southwestern Oklahoma State (17-12) that eventually controlled the tempo as they built a lead that blossomed to as much as 18 in the first half on 51.4% shooting (18-of-35) from the floor on their way to netting 52 first-half points. Southern Arkansas (17-12) committed nine turnovers and connected on just three trifecta attempts in 11 tries in the opening 20 minutes, while the Bulldogs converted seven triples and turned the ball over just three times as they took a ten-point advantage; 52-42 into the intermission.

After the break it was the Muleriders who stole the momentum as they opened the final twenty minutes on a 20-5 run to take a 62-57 lead with 11:04 remaining. SWOSU struggled from the floor in the second half shooting 28.2% (11-of-39), while connecting on just three three-point attempts.

Highlighting that second-half comeback was an impressive sequence that led to a Southern Arkansas lead. Senior forward Alvin Braddock muscled a bucket underneath to cut the Mulerider deficit to a possession, 57-54, six and a half minutes into the second half. Thirty-five seconds later, on the next trip down the floor, junior guard Keeton Tennison hoisted a corner-three that knotted the affair at 57. Braddock collected a steal on the following SWOSU possession, which led to senior guard Deon Andrews knocking down the first of three second-half trifectas giving SAU a 60-57 lead: their first lead since the 14:59 mark of the first-half.

Following an basket by senior big man Kevin Jordan, a pair of Bulldog baskets quickly brought Southwestern Oklahoma to within a point at 62-61 with 10:41 to play, before a Nick Shoemaker three-pointer at the 8:10 mark gave SWOSU a 64-62 lead.

Southwestern Oklahoma pushed their lead to five, 71-66 with 5:49 left in the game. Junior guard De'Sean Dockery connected on one of two free throws on the ensuing trip down the court and followed it up with a steal that led to Andrews hitting from deep for the second time in the half, before junior forward Tony Aska converted his second tip-in bucket of the second half, giving SAU a 72-71 lead with 4:41 remaining.

Martell Collins aided the back-and-forth action immediately by answering with two-points in the paint, before Andrews delivered his third three-pointer of the half to put SAU back on top, 75-73.

With a slim two-point lead after Dockery converted one of two attempts from the charity stripe with 2:13 remaining, Braddock collected another key steal and was fouled after making a nifty move towards the basket where he had intentions of capitalizing on a high-percentage shot. Unable to take advantage at the free throw line with two unsuccessful attempts, SWOSU's Emeche Wells scored inside on the ensuing Bulldog possession tying the contest at 78.

With 1:20 to play, Dockery claimed one of two free throw attempts giving the Muleriders a 79-78 lead, but Markeise Champion followed with a bucket that gave Southwestern Oklahoma an 80-79 lead with 62 seconds left. Braddock's biggest moment came on the next Mulerider possession as he cleaned up a Dockery miss with a tip-in off-glass that put Southern Arkansas briefly ahead 81-80, before Wells connected on a pair of free throws giving SWOSU an 82-81 lead. Following an SAU timeout, the contest was decided on the aforementioned Elkins basket and a defensive stand that sent the Muleriders to Saturday's semifinal round.

Andrews paced the Muleriders on 8-of-11 shooting, including 5-of-7 from downtown as he dropped a career-high 21 points. Braddock followed with 16 points, 11 rebounds (8 offensively), two steals and a block; his fifth double-double of the season. Dockery added 11 points and Elkins followed with ten to round out double-figure scoring. Aska finished with a game-high dozen rebounds.

As a team, the Muleriders cashed in on second-chance points outscoring SWOSU 23-6 due in large part to collecting 21 offensive rebounds. SAU also outperformed the Bulldogs in the paint, 40-22, and on the bench as six Muleriders accounted for the 41 non-starter points led by Braddock and Elkins. Despite shooting just 45.7% (16-of-35) from the free-throw stripe, Southern Arkansas cleaned up when they needed to the most by controlling the glass and grabbing 32 second-half rebounds (12 offensively) and 57 total to SWOSU's 39.

The win is Southern Arkansas' second postseason win under head coach Andy Sharpe and the school's first since the 2014 GAC Tournament where they upset second-seeded Southwestern Oklahoma State, 63-59. It was a game fitting for the madness that is March as the two teams' three matchups this year were decided by a total six points. Thursday night's victory set the program record for wins in a season in their twenty-year membership in NCAA Division II.

The postseason ride continues for the Muleriders as they prepare for a semifinal showdown with top-seeded Harding (19-9) at 2:15 on Saturday inside Bruin Fieldhouse. All coverage links from Bartlesville for the remainder of the tournament including SAU's third meeting with Bisons can be located here: http://greatamericanconference.com/sports/2016/2/8/2016-GAC-BKB-CHAMPIONSHIPS.aspx. Harding took both regular season meetings with Southern Arkansas.

Be sure to visit muleriderathletics.com for continuing postseason coverage of Mulerider basketball including pregame and postgame updates and the coach's show with head coach Andy Sharpe.