Box Score ALVA, Okla. – Southern Arkansas stumbled in opening Great American Conference play Thursday, falling 93-73 to Northwestern Oklahoma State at Percefull Fieldhouse.
 
The Rangers (2-4, 1-0 GAC) used 21 points and 10 assists from Daryl Glover and had three other players score in double-figures.  Jonathan Freemyer had 15 points, Bruce Wright added 14 points and nine rebounds, and Eze Akwari scored 13 points.
 
The Muleriders (3-2, 0-1 GAC) got 18 points from senior guard Daviel Clements (Jesup, Ga.).  Junior guard Terrell Shears (Kansas City, Mo.) added 15 points and five rebounds, and junior guard Jamail Turner (Swainsboro, Ga.) chipped in 11 points.
 
SAU was within 12-10 at the 16:20 mark in the first half, but a jumper from Glover ignited a 22-7 run from there for Northwestern that led to a 34-17 game at 7:43 and never looked back.
 
The Rangers held a 50-33 lead at the half.
 
Southern Arkansas pulled to within 13 points later in the first half, and again at 61-48 at 13:01 in the second, but couldn't get over the hump as the Rangers rolled on to the win, commanding 22-point margins four times in the final stanza.
 
Northwestern Oklahoma shot a crisp 59.3 percent for the game on 35 of 59, including 8 of 16 three-pointers.  They were 15 of 28 at the free throw line.
 
The Muleriders weren't bad, hitting at 46.7 percent on 28 of 60, with 10 of 27 (37 percent) beyond the arc, and were 7 of 12 from the foul stripe.
 
The Rangers held a 32-26 rebounding edge, getting 48 points inside to SAU's 36.  Akwari grabbed six rebounds.  Junior forward Nigel Jones (Wadley, Ala.) had six for Southern Arkansas.
 
Turnovers were almost even, with Northwestern committing 17 and the Muleriders 16, but the Rangers converted them into 26 points, while SAU managed only 14.
 
Southern Arkansas continues its Oklahoma road trip Saturday in Weatherford, facing Southwestern Oklahoma State in a 4 p.m. GAC tip-off.