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SETTING THE STAGE
The Southern Arkansas men's basketball team may face its toughest road test this season as they travel to Searcy, Ark. to take on the Harding Bisons inside the fabled Rhodes Field House. On the year, the Bisons are 9-1 and 7-0 in the GAC when playing at home. Since the 1999-00 season, the Muleriders are just 1-13 at Harding with their lone win in that time coming during the 2001-02 season.
 

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SCOUTING HARDING
The Harding men's basketball team enters play with a 10-8 overall record and are 8-4 in the GAC. The Bisons are also one of the hottest teams in the GAC coming into play tonight as they are winners of their last five, all of which are in league play. Statistically, the Bisons are averaging 78.5 points per game and are shooting 49% (480-of-989) overall from the floor. Their scoring per game ranks second in the GAC while their shooting percentage also ranks second in the league. Currently three Bisons are averaging
double figures in scoring, with Andraz Kavaz leading the way at 19.8 ppg. Kavaz is also the GAC's top scorer. Next in scoring is Jacob Gibson at 14.2 ppg and Blake McNair at 12.5 ppg. As a team, the Bisons rank second in the GAC in shooting from beyond the arc at 39% (187-of-477) and are first in the league at the free throw line at
73% (266-of-367).

Defensively, the Bisons are allowing their opponents to score an average of 73.1 points per game while also allowing a 44% (457-of-1,051) success rate from the floor. Their opponents' points per game average ranks ninth in the GAC and their +5.4 scoring margin ranks fourth.

In terms of rebounding, the Bisons rank 10th in the GAC with 33.4 boards per game. On the other end of the court, the Bison are allowing 32.8 boards per game and their +0.6 rebounding margin ranks sixth in the GAC.

As far as steals and assists, the Bisons rank 11th and first in the respective categories. On the year, HU is averaging 4.5 steals per game while averaging 17.1 assists

COACH
The Bisons are coached by Jeff Morgan, who is in his 22nd season at Harding and 23rd season overall as a head coach. In his previous 21 years are Harding Morgan has a 374-245 record. Overall, Morgan has a 391-255 record.

LAST YEAR/LAST TIME OUT
This will be the second meeting this year between Southern Arkansas and Harding. In the previous meeting, SAU came out on top 64-62 in Magnolia. In that game, SAU overcame a three-point halftime deficit to earn the win. Four Muleriders scored in double figures with Alvin Braddock leading the way with 16 points. Braddock also added 14 rebounds for his first double-double of the season.

THE SERIES
This is the 33rd meeting since the 1999-00 season between Southern Arkansas and Harding in a series that began in 1957. Since then, the two have played 116 times with the Muleriders holding a 69-47 lead all-time. Since the 1999-00 season, however, HU is 23-9 against SAU, and are 13-1 when the game is played in Searcy.

ON TAP
The Muleriders will take their second Oklahoma swing of the year next week as the travel to Durant on Thursday to take on Southeastern Oklahoma and then travel to Bethany on Saturday to take on Southern Nazarene..
 

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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 29-13 overall inside the W.T. Watson Center, including being 10-2 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 57 three-pointers  in 18 games played (3.2 makes/game), which ranks him third 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 17 games at point guard for the Muleriders. In those 17 games, the Muleriders are 13-4 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 12 games played thus far, Jordan, a 6-10 post presence, has averaged 22.0 minutes per game. In his time on the court, Jordan is averaging 6.1 points per game and 7.1 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 12.9 points per game and 8.4 rebounds per game. His
.631 shooting percentage (89-of-144) 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.

NEW GAC SCORING RECORD SET
The Southern Arkansas men's basketball team set a new Great American Conference record for points scored in a game against a GAC opponent as the Muleriders routed Arkansas Tech 109-80 on January 29.