SOUTHERN ARKANSAS MULERIDERS (12-4, 8-2 GAC)

OUACHITA BAPTIST TIGERS (11-4, 7-3 GAC)

Saturday, January 24 | 3 P.M. Bill Vining Arena | Arkadelphia, Ark. LIVE STATS || LIVE AUDIO SAU GAME NOTES

 

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SETTING THE STAGE
Round two of Great American Conference play starts today as the Southern Arkansas men's basketball team is set to take on Ouachita Baptist for the second time this season. In the first meeting, SAU limited the top-scoring team in the GAC at the time to just 59 points as the Muleriders went on to win 75-59 at home back on December 6. This second matchup is also battle of the two of the top-two teams in the GAC standings.
 

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SCOUTING OUACHITA BAPTIST
The Ouachita Baptist men's basketball team enters play with an 11-4 overall record and are 7-3 in the GAC. The Tigers are back at home and are coming off of an emotional 71-67 road loss at cross-street rival Henderson State.

Statistically, the Tigers are averaging 78.3 points per game and are shooting 47% (417-of-890) overall from the floor. Their scoring per game ranks second in the GAC while their shooting percentage ranks third in the league. Currently three Tigers are averaging double figures in scoring, with a fourth at 9.6 ppg. Tirrell Brown leads the way and ranks third in the GAC in scoring at 18.1 ppg. The other two players in double figures are Colt Fason and Justin McCleary at 14.1 ppg and 12.2 ppg, respectively.

As a team, the Tigers rank fifth in the GAC in shooting from beyond the arc at 37% (109-of-294) and are first in the league at the free throw line at 74% (232-of-314).

Defensively, the Tigers are allowing their opponents to score an average of 68.6 points per game while also allowing a 42% (336-of-801) success rate from the floor. Their opponents' points per game average ranks third in the GAC and their +9.7 scoring margin is tops.

In terms of rebounding, the Tigers rank fourth in the GAC with 36.3 boards per game. On the other end of the court, the Tigers are allowing 31.7 boards per game and their +4.6 rebounding margin ranks first in the GAC.

As far as steals and assists, the Tigers rank first and third in the respective categories. On the year, OBU is averaging 8.2 steals per game while averaging 14.9 assists.

COACH
The Tigers are coached by Dennis Nutt, who is in his 10th season overall and his fourth season at OBU. In his three seasons at OBU, Nutt has amassed a 53-45 overall record. In 2012-13, Nutt guided the Tigers to a GAC Conference Tournament Championship. Overall, Nutt has a 125-142 record.

LAST YEAR/LAST TIME OUT
This is the second meeting this season between SAU and OBU. In the first meeting, SAU limited the top-scoring team in the GAC at the time to just 59 points as the Muleriders went on to win 75-59 at home back on December 6. Also in that game, four Muleriders would scoring in double figures with Alre'k Brown and Chauncy Williams scoring 17 points each.

THE SERIES
This is the 32nd meeting since the 1999-00 season between Southern Arkansas and Ouachia Baptist in a series that began in 1931. Since then, the two have played 156 times with the Tigers holding a slight advantage in the all-time series, 80-76. Since the 1999-00 season, OBU is 18-13 against SAU.

ON TAP
The Muleriders will return home for a battle with Arkansas Tech on Thursday,Januray 29. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. inside the W.T. Watson Center.
 

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SAU NOTES

YEAR THREE OF THE PROCESS
Head 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 nine talented newcomers to the mix.

HOME SWEET HOME
Under the direction of head coach Andy Sharpe, the W.T. Watson Center has been a place where the Muleriders show up to play and expect to win. Since the start of the 2012-13 season (Sharpe's first), the Muleriders are 28-13 overall inside the W.T. Watson Center, including being 9-2 at home this season.

LEARNING TO WIN ON THE ROAD
As the Mulerider basketball program continues to build itself towards becoming a championshiplevel 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 6-22 overall on the road and 5-19 away from the W.T. Watson Center against GAC opponents.

WILLIAMS W/THE "HOT" HAND FROM DEEP
In SAU's game against Texas A&M-Commerce (12/1), Chauncy Williams 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 52 three-pointers in 16 games played (3.3 makes/game), which ranks him second in the GAC in three-point FG made.

BACK-TO-BACK GAC PLAYER OF THE WEEK
One week after Chauncy Williams won GAC Co-Player of the Week, junior guard Jaron Davis made it back-to-back weeks for SAU basketball as he averaged 27.0 ppg and led the Muleriders to a pair of road GAC wins, propelling them into first-place.

RUNNING THE POINT
After 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 15 games at point guard for the Muleriders. In those 15 games, the Muleriders are 12-3 and Davis has been a scorer as well as a distributor as he his averaging 15.7 points per game and 4.2 assists in that time.

JORDAN JOINING THE MIX
Junior forward Kevin Jordan has been a welcomed edition to the Muleriders' rotation since becoming eligible at the conclusion of the fall semester. In 10 games played thus far, Jordan, a 6-10 post presence, has averaged 20.7 minutes per game. In his time on the court, Jordan is averaging 4.7 points per game and 5.8 rebounds per game as well.

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 13.4 points per game and 8.4 rebounds per game. His
.659 shooting percentage (83-of-126) ranks first on the team and second in the GAC.

CAREER WIN #200
On January 15, Southern Arkansas head men's basketball coach Andy Sharpe picked up his 200th career victory in SAU's 81-42 drubbing of Champion Baptist. Coach Sharpe is now in his third season at SAU and 10th season overall on the sidelines.