Southern Arkansas MULERIDERS (10-12, 6-10 GAC)

vs. Harding BISONS (12-10, 9-7 GAC) Thursday, February 13 @ 7:30 p.m Magnolia, Ark. (W.T. Watson Center) Live Audio (SAU Feed) | Live Stats | Live Video (SAU Feed)

GAME NOTES (PDF)

Setting the Stage
The Muleriders continue their push toward securing a spot in the upcoming Great American Conference Tournament as they will play host to Harding University on Thursday night. The Muleriders are in a good position to secure that spot in the tournament as they currently sit in seventh-place in the GAC standings with four games left to go. Additionally, the Muleriders have series sweeps against the two teams behind them, Ouachita Baptist and Southeastern Oklahoma, giving them the edge in any tie-breaker scenarios with the two.
 
The Coaches
Southern Arkansas is led by second-year head coach Andy Sharpe. In his first season at the helm, Sharpe led the Muleriders to the Great American Conference Tournament. A NAIA National Coach of the Year prior to coming to SAU, Sharpe brings a wealth of successful coaching experience to the Mulerider basketball program.
 
Harding is coached by Jeff Morgan. Now in his 21st season, Morgan has compiled a career record of 366-232 and is 349-222 at Harding. Five times Morgan has guided his team to 20 or more wins in a season and twice they have been regular season champions. This year, Morgan has guided his team to a 7-6 overall record and a 4-3 mark in the GAC.
 
Last Time Out
The Muleriders are coming off of a tough 56-58 loss at home to Southern Nazarene a week ago.  In that game, the Muleriders and Crimson Storm entered as the top-two scoring offenses in the GAC, but the two would engage in a defensive struggle as neither team shot over 40% and each committed over 10 turnovers.
 
Despite the low-scoring output, four Muleriders scored in double figures with Jeffrey Walker leading the way with 12 points. Walker would also lead the team in rebounding with 14 to record his fifth double-double of the season. Joining Walker in double-figure scoring were Reed and Williams with 11 points each and Alre'k Brown with 10 points.
 
Last Time vs. Harding (January 16, 2014)
The last time these two teams met was back on January 16 in Searcy. In that game, the Muleriders found themselves on the bad end of a free throw discrepancy as they fell to the Bisons by a score of 92-80. SAU would take 19 fewer free throws and the Bisons made 12 more free throws than the Muleriders, accounting for the scoring difference in the game.
 
Three Muleriders scored in double figures in the game with Chauncy Williams leading the way with 25 points on 8-of-18 shooting. Seven of Williams' made shots came from three-point range. Alre'k Brown was just behind Williams with 24 points on an efficient 10-of-12 shooting from the floor. 17 of Brown's points came in the second half. Rounding out double-digit scoring for the Muleriders was Tyrell Taylor as he added 10 points.
 
As a team, the Muleriders has 22 assists. Taylor led the way with six assists while Tre'von Wilkerson and Williams added five and four assists, respectively.
 
Checking the Standings
Southern Arkansas enters play Thursday with a 6-10 record in the GAC and currently sits in ninth-place in the standings. If the season were to end today, however, the Muleriders would be the No.7 seed in the tournament as provisional GAC members, Southern Nazarene and Northwestern Oklahoma are ahead of SAU in the standings.
 
Harding enters play tonight with a 9-7 record in the GAC and currently sits in fifth-place in the standings. The Bisons have also secured a spot in the GAC Tournament, and if the season were to end today, the Bisons would be the No. 4-seed.
 
Starting from the Bottom
Despite making the conference tournament as the no. 8 seed a year ago, the 2013-14 SAU men's basketball team was tabbed to finish 11th out of 11 in the GAC preseason coach's poll. Eight talented newcomers and lone returner Duke Reed will figure to have something to say about where they actually finish the season.
 
What Can Brown Do For You?!
So far this season, Alre'k Brown has shown that he can do just about everything for the Mulerider basketball team. Brown currently leads the team in FG % (.655) and blocked shots/per game (49/2.7). Brown is also the team leader in rebounds per game (7.8). In those same categories, Brown ranks first in the GAC in blocks/per game while ranking third in FG % and 4th in rebounds.
 
Nemo For Three-Mo
Junior guard Nemo Sanchez has been one of the Muleriders' top three-point threats so far this season as he has buried a team-leading 49 trifectas. His 48 made three-pointers are 11th in the GAC.
 
Francis and Williams Join the Mix
Junior transfers Aaron Francis and Chauncy Williams were eligible to join the team at semester and have provided much-needed depth to the Muleriders, who were down to eight (8) healthy players at the end of the fall semester. Since joining the active roster, Williams has scored in double figures in all but three games played. Five times Williams has scored 22 or more points.
 
Diaper-Dandy Dunlap
Reece Dunlap is the lone freshman on the Muleriders' roster, but that is not to say that he has not been called upon in big moments. Against UAM, Dunlap drained the game-winning three-pointer.
 
No No No No, Not in Our House
BEWARE: Opponents who choose to enter the paint against the Muleriders must do so at their own risk.
On the year, the Muleriders have blocked a total of 81 shots for an average of 3.7 blocks per game. The blocks per game are 3rd in the GAC. Twice this season, the Muleriders have blocked 10 or more shots.
Junior forward Alre'k Brown has been the most dominant shot-blocker on the team as he has a GAC-leading 49 blocks and 2.7 blocks per game.
 
Reaching the Century Mark
The Muleriders have reached the century mark in scoring three times this season, making it six times under second-year head coach Andy Sharpe that the Muleriders have achieved that feat. The six 100+ point games between last season and this season are the most during a two-year stretch since the 1999-2000 and 2000-2001 seasons when the Muleriders had seven such games.
 
Not So Charitable Stripe?!
The "Charity Stripe" had been less than giving to the Muleriders through the first seven (7) games this season as they were shooting a GAC-low 61% (112-of-185) from the FT line. In the 15 game since, the Muleriders are shooting 68% from the FT line and have lifted their season % to 66%., ranking them eighth in the GAC. Against UAM, the Muleriders had season-highs in FTM (37) and FT% (88%).
 
Winning Inside the Paint
One of the keys to the Muleriders' success this season has been when they have won the battle in the paint. Eight of their 10 wins this season have come when they have scored more points in the paint.
 
Playing the Percentages
Through 22 games this season, the SAU men's basketball team is shooting 46% (594-of-1299) from the floor, which ranks them fifth in the GAC. In 10 games, the Muleriders have shot over 45%, but they are 6-4 in such games. When the Muleriders do not shot over 45% in a game, they are currently 4-8.
 
Break Time
Through 22 games this season, the SAU men's basketball team has taken a lead into halftime 12 times. In those games, the Muleriders are 7-5. When they do not lead at the break, the Muleriders are currently 3-7.
 
Did You Know?!
? - The Muleriders are currently averaging 78.4 points per game, which ranks 1st in the GAC?
? - The Muleriders rank 1st in the GAC steals (199/9.0)
? - Chauncy Williams is averaging 14.9 ppg since he joined the active roster
? - Williams has made 47 three-pointers in 13 games played for an average of 3.4 makes/game
? - Alre'k Brown's 17 rebounds vs. Central Baptist were the most in a game since 2003
? - Nemo Sanchez has made five (5) or more three-pointers in a game four (4) times.
? - Tyrell Taylor's 13 assists against SE Oklahoma were the most in a game since 2011?