MAGNOLIA, Ark. – The Southern Arkansas University Lady Mulerider basketball team trailed by three at the intermission and used an 9-0 run midway through the second half to bring the Great American Conference contest to within one possession, but Northwestern Oklahoma State pulled away down the stretch as the Rangers defeated SAU, 68-56, on Saturday afternoon inside the W.T. Watson Athletic Center.
 
The first half of action saw eight tied scores and despite a slow start, the Lady Muleriders (4-11, 2-7 GAC) fought throughout the first twenty minutes of play as the largest lead for both teams was five.
 
Down 7-2, Aarika Reyna used a basket and a free throw before Chanel Miller evened up the contest at seven with a jumper at the 16:27 mark of the first half. After trading baskets, Southern Arkansas went on a 5-0 run courtesy of a three pointer from Miller and a fast break jumper by Cemetra Jenkins. However, NWOSU produced a 5-0 run of their own to tie the game up at 14.
 
Each team matched the other over the next four minutes before Brianna Sifford knocked down a trey to give the Lady Muleriders a 23-20 lead with 7:17 to play before the break.
 
Northwestern Oklahoma took advantage at the charity stripe as they shot 80% (8-10) in the final seven minutes of the first half to take a five point lead, 33-28, with 42 seconds left. Miller knocked down a pair of free throws to cut the deficit to three, 33-30, after one half of play.
 
Miranda Grier scored two quick buckets to start the second half as SAU went back on top, 34-33. But with 17:13 remaining in the game, the Rangers put together a 13-0 run before semester transfer Aleeya Harris scored her first points as a Lady Mulerider to cut the deficit to 11, 47-36.
 
Shabr'an Richardson followed with a layup and Reyna drilled another three pointer to pull SAU within 6, 47-41. On the ensuing trip down, a big block by Miller led to a successful jumper by Jenkins and Grier turned a steal into two points as part of an electrifying 9-0 run that took less than two minutes and in the process revived the W.T. Watson faithful.
 
NWOSU would push their lead back to eight, but Southern Arkansas refused to go away without a fight. Miller converted on two free throws while Grier scored on a fouled put back bucket and finished off the scoring sequence with a free throw to cut the deficit to three, 56-53.
 
That would be as close as the Lady Muleriders would get in the remainder of the second half as the Rangers produced eight of their final 12 points from inside the paint to pull away over the final seven minutes of action.
 
Miller led the way for the Lady Muleriders with 14 points, while adding six rebounds and a pair of blocks in 35 minutes of work. Grier followed with 12 points and a game-high nine rebounds that included seven on the offensive end while picking up three steals defensively.
 
Southern Arkansas hits the road for a conference matchup with Arkansas-Monticello on Thursday, January 22. The Lady Muleriders square off against the Cotton Blossoms with a scheduled 5:30 p.m. tipoff.