MAGNOLIA, Ark. – Southern Arkansas senior forward Alre'k Brown had one his most dominant double-double performances of his career on Saturday afternoon as he had game-highs in scoring and rebounds with 23 points and 13 boards, respectively. The impressive play by Brown helped SAU hold off visiting Northwestern Oklahoma for a hard-fought 67-60 win inside the W.T. Watson Center.
 
Early on in the game, it looked like SAU might blow past Northwestern Oklahoma with ease as the Muleriders (11-4, 7-2 GAC) raced out to a 14-0 lead through the first six minutes of the game. During that opening stretch, SAU had the hot-hand shooting as they were 6-of-9 overall from the floor. Conversely, the Rangers (4-12, 3-6 GAC) were ice cold as they missed all seven shots during the opening SAU run. In fact, the Rangers would miss their first nine shots before finally making good on a layup at the 13:47 mark of the first half.
 
With 9:35 left in the first half, NWOSU took advantage of a Mulerider shooting cold spell and ripped off a 9-0 run over the next 3:22 to bring themselves to within one point, 19-18, with 6:27 to go before halftime. That run, however, was broken by Muleriders on their next trip down the court as Reece Dunlap buried a three-pointer to push SAU's lead back to four points. Minutes later, the Muleriders doubled that lead, but would take a six-point lead into the locker room, 38-32.
 
Coming out of the break, the Muleriders would get two quick layups by DJ Frye to extend their lead out to double digits, 42-32. Over the next six minutes of game time, however, NWOSU began to methodically work their way back into the game once more as they pulled to within two-points, 44-42, with 12:42 left in the game.
 
A quick 5-0 burst by the Muleriders followed over the next minute and a half to stave off the Rangers' surge. With 8:18 left on the clock, SAU stretched their lead out to double-digits once more on a fastbreak layup by Chauncy Williams. Just over two and half minutes later, SAU grabbed its largest lead since opening the game on a 14-0 run as they had a 12-point lead, 61-49, with 5:42 left to play.  
 
But, just as twice before, the Rangers would not go away easily as they ripped off a 9-0 run over the next 3:12 of the game to pull to within three points, 61-58, with 2:30 remaining.
 
On SAU's next trip down the floor, Kevin Jordan would make it a two-possession game as he split a pair free throw attempts.
 
Now with just over two minutes left in regulation and the game hanging in the balance, the Muleriders' defense would rise up and go into shutdown mode the rest of the way out as they forced four critical Northwestern Oklahoma turnovers to effectively end the game.
 
The Muleriders would end the game shooting 40% overall from the floor (22-for-55) and 66% from the charity stripe (19-of-29), but struggled from long range as they were just 4-of-22 (18%). As a team, the Muleriders would out-rebound the Rangers by six, 40-34.
 
Individually, nine players would score in the game, but only two would finish in double figures with Brown's 23 points on 7-of-11 shooting leading the way. Jaron Davis, thanks a fury of five points in the final two minutes, would end with 10 points.
 
The Muleriders will now prepare to hit the road for two pivotal GAC games next week with the first coming against rival Arkansas-Monticello on Thursday, January 22. Tip-off for that game is slated for 7:30 p.m.