SOUTHERN ARKANSAS MULERIDERS (12-5, 8-3 GAC)

ARKANSAS TECH WONDER BOYS (9-10, 5-6 GAC)

Thursday, January 29 | 7:30 P.M. W.T. Watson Center | Magnolia, Ark. LIVE STATS | LIVE VIDEO | LIVE AUDIO SAU GAME NOTES | ATU GAME NOTES

 

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SETTING THE STAGE
The Southern Arkansas men's basketball team saw their eight-game winning streak come to a halt this past Saturday as Ouachita Baptist defended their home court and knocked off the Muleriders by a score of 77-70. This Thursday, the Muleriders will not only look to rebound from that loss at OBU, but they will also be looking to avenge a tough two-point loss at Arkansas Tech earlier this season.
 

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SCOUTING ARKANSAS TECH
The Arkansas Tech men's basketball team enters play with a 9-10 overall record and are 5-6 in the GAC. The Wonder Boys are riding a bit of a high after a come-from-behind win at home against Henderson State. In that game, ATU trailed by five at the break, but ripped off a 20-0 run to start the second half before eventually cruising to a 76-54 win.

Statistically, the Wonder Boys are averaging 69.6 points per game and are shooting 43% (432-of-1,011) overall from the floor. Their scoring per game ranks eighth in the GAC while their shooting percentage also ranks eighth in the league. Currently one Wonder Boys is averaging double figures in scoring, with Mike Baloguin leading the way at 13.9 ppg. Four other Wonder Boys are averaging 8.5 ppg as well. As a team, the Wonder Boys rank seventh in the GAC in shooting from beyond the arc at 36% (160-of-444) and are fiifth in the league at the free throw line at 70% (298-of-429).

Defensively, the Wonder Boys are allowing their opponents to score an average of 69.5 points per game while also allowing a 42% (464-of-1,095) success rate from the floor. Their opponents' points per game average ranks fifth in the GAC and their +0.1 scoring margin ranks seventh.

In terms of rebounding, the Wonder Boys rank sixth in the GAC with 35.8 boards per game. On the other end of the court, the Wonder Boys are allowing 35.1 boards per game and their +0.7 rebounding margin ranks sixth in the GAC.

As far as steals and assists, the Wonder Boys rank 10th and eighth in the respective categories. On the year, ATU is averaging 4.7 steals per game while averaging
12.2 assists.

COACH
The Wonder Boys are coached by Chad Kline who is in his first season in the head role at Arkansas Tech. Prior to being named the head coach at ATU, Kline served as an assistant coach under then Tech head coach Doug Karleskint for three years. In that time, Kline helped guide the Wonder Boys to three GAC regular season championships and three trips to the NCAA Regional Tournament.

LAST YEAR/LAST TIME OUT
These two teams will be meeting for the second time this season and it was Arkansas Tech who came away victorious in that game as they edged out the Muleriders by a score of 77-75 in Russellville. The leading scorers for both teams were Alre'k Brown (SAU) with 24 points on 9-of-10 shooting and Mike Baloguin (ATU) with 22 points.

THE SERIES
This is the 33rd meeting since the 1999-00 season between Southern Arkansas and Arkansas Tech in a series that began in 1930. Since then, the two have played 159 times with the Wonder Boys holding a 91-68 lead all-time. Since the 1999-00 season, ATU is 23-9 against SAU, but are 8-7 when the game is played in Magnolia.

ON TAP
The Muleriders will hit the road as they travel to Searcy on Saturday to take on Harding inside the fabled Rhodes Field House. Tip-off for that game is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.
 

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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 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 6-23 overall on the road and 5-20 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 55 three-pointers in 17 games played (3.2  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 16 games at point guard for the Muleriders. In those 16 games, the Muleriders are 12-4 and Davis has been a scorer as well as a distributor as he his averaging 15.7 points per game and 4.1 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 11 games played thus far, Jordan, a 6-10 post presence, has averaged 21.6 minutes per game. In his time on the court, Jordan is averaging 5.1 points per game and 6.2 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 12.8 points per game and 8.4 rebounds per game. His
.644 shooting percentage (85-of-132) 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.