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SETTING THE STAGEThe Southern Arkansas men's basketball team is set to hit the road for the first time in GAC play this season as they are traveling to Russellville to take on the Arkansas Tech Wonder Boys. Saturday's game also represents the final of SAU's GAC contests prior to the Christmas break. The Muleriders will enter play with a two-game winning streak as they went 2-0 in conference play this past week, posting a 64-62 win over Harding and then working past Ouachita Baptist by a score of 75-59.
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SCOUTING ARKANSAS TECHABOUT ATU:The Arkansas Tech men's basketball team is off to a 4-5 start overall and enters play with a 0-2 mark in the Great American Conference (GAC). Last week, the Wonder Boys began their conference slate, but suffered a 64-57 loss to Ouachita Baptist at home and then dropped a 69-63 decision at Henderson State last Saturday.
Statistically, the Wonder Boys are averaging 67.4 points per game on offense, ranking them 10th in the GAC. On the defensive side, the Wonder Boys are currently allowing opponents to score 70.0 points per game, ranking them sixth in the GAC. Their -2.6 scoring margin, however, ranks 10th in the GAC.Â
As a team, the Wonder Boys are ranked eighth in the GAC in overall shooting as they are shooting a .430 clip (205-of-477) from the floor. From three-point range, Tech is ninth in the GAC and is currently shooting .332 (72-of-217) from long range. From the charity stripe, the Wonder Boys are shooting .698 (125-of-179), ranking them ninth in the
GAC. In terms of rebounding, Tech is averaging 34.6 boards per game and holds a +0.9 rebounding margin over its opponents. As far as assists are concerned, the Wonder Boys are dishing out an average of 11.9 assists per game and currently have a 0.8 assist-to-turnover ratio.Â
Individually, the Wonder Boys enter play with three players who are averaging double figures in scoring with Mike Balogun leading the way at 13.2 ppg. Behind Balogun is Clarance Willard at 11.2 ppg and Nick Wayman at 10.0 ppg. Thus far, the most productive scorer for Tech is Bryson Fletcher as he his shooting .586 (17-of-29) overall from the floor in nine games played. The top threat from long range is Balogun as he has burried 24 triples in 64 attempts (.375) and is averaging 2.7 makes per game from deep.
In terms of rebounding, Wayman leads the team with an average of 6.0 boards per game. 4.9 of those rebounds per game are coming off of the defensive glass. The top assist-man for Tech is Fletcher as he has dished out 27 thus far.
COACH:The Wonder Boys are coached by Chad Kline, who is in the midst of his first season as head coach at ATU. Despite it being his first year at the helm, Kline is no stranger to Tech basketball as he served as the assistant coach at Tech for the past three seasons.
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SCOUTING THE MULERIDERS
YEAR THREE OF THE PROCESSHead coach
Andy Sharpe is now in his third year at SAU and he looks to have his program make another step in the right direction in 2014-15. Last year saw many improvements within the program as the win total increased from the year prior, but also last year saw the Muleriders win their first conference tournament game since the 1999-2000 season. This year, Shapre returns five players from a year ago along with adding nie talented newcomers to the mix.
LEARNING TO WIN ON THE ROADAs the Mulerider basketball program continues to build itself towards becoming a championship-level program, learning to win on the road is the essential next step within the building process. Since Head Coach
Andy Sharpe took over at SAU prior to the 2012-13 season, the Muleriders are just 3-21 overall on the road and 2-18 away from the W.T. Watson Center against GAC opponents.
WILLIAMS W/THE "HOT" HAND FROM DEEPSenior guard
Chauncy Williams is in his second season with the Muleriders and through his time on the court, Mulerider fans know that he can get red-hot from long range.
In SAU's game against Texas A&M-Commerce, Williams gave that statement a whole new meaning as he buried eight three-pointers. The eight makes from long range were the most by a Mulerider since the 2006-07 season when former player Brandon Williams hit eight trifectas as well. So far this season, Williams has made 21 threepointers
in six games played (3.5 makes/game), which ranks him first in the GAC in three-point FG made.
RUNNING THE POINTAfter not starting SAU's opening game, but eventually logging 38 minutes in the overtime loss to Southern Nazarene, junior transfer
Jaron Davis has started the last five games at point guard for the Muleriders. In those five games, the Muleriders are 4-1 and Davis has been a scorer as well as a distributor as he his averaging 13.2 points per game and 2.8 assists in that time.
GO DJ, YEAH THAT'S MY DJJunior guard
DJ Frye is in his first season with the Muleriders and thus far he has started all six games for SAU and is third on the team in scoring at 10.3 points per game. A physical 6-5 guard, Frye is a threat to drive through the teeth of a defense and he is currently shooting at a .449 clip (22-of-49) with all of his makes coming inside the three-point line.
WHAT CAN BROWN DO FOR YOU?!Senior forward
Alre'k Brown returns after his dominant junior campaign in which he burst onto the scene for the SAU basketball team as he established himself as one of the best big men in the GAC. In that breakout year, Brown would rank in the top-five in the league in Blocked Shots (1st | 2.4 bpg), Field Goal % (3rd | .626), and total Rebounding (4th | 7.4 rpg) while also ranking 16th in the GAC in scoring with 12.4 ppg. This season, Brown is currently averaging 9.7 points per game and 6.3 rebounds per game. His
.600 shooting percentage (24-of-40) ranks first on the team and sixth in the GAC.
MASKED MULERIDERIn the first minute of the first game of the season, junior transfer
Alvin Braddock suffered a broken nose as he went for a rebound. That injury caused Braddock to miss the next two games, but the Kankakee, Ill. native made his return to the Muleriders' starting lineup against Texas A&M-Commerce this past Monday night donning a protective mask. In that game, Braddock showed signs of what he can do on the court as he scored six points and pulled down eight rebounds in 15 minutes. Six of those eight boards came on the offensive glass as well.
GOING SMALL, PAYING OFF BIGAfter an 85-93 loss at Texas A&M-Commerce, the Muleriders have played the past two games with only one big in the game at a time. In a small sample-size with that lineup shakeup, the Muleriders are averaging 69.5 poins per game and are shooting an efficient .463 (50-of-108) from the floor as a team. Additionally, the Muleirders have dished out 25 assists against just 20 turnovers.
