MAGNOLIA, Ark. – The Southern Arkansas Mulerider basketball team will get an opportunity to even up their Great American Conference record this afternoon inside the W.T. Watson Athletic Center as they welcome in the conference's top-team in Southwestern Oklahoma St. for a 3 p.m. tip-off.
 
The Muleriders (4-3, 1-2 GAC) are coming off a 67-59 defeat by Northwestern Oklahoma, but can put themselves back into an early conference mix with a win over the Bulldogs (5-1, 3-0 GAC); a team that averages over 77 points per game, while holding opponents to a league-best 40% from the floor.
 
Southwestern Oklahoma is led by four players with double-digit scoring totals including Martell Collins' team-leading average of 16.8 points per game. Juwan Newmen averages 7.0 rebounds per game and Collins adds 6.2 rpg. SWOSU shoots over 35% from deep, led by Markeise Champion's 47% (21-of-44).
 
For Southern Arkansas, senior guard Jaron Davis averages a team-high 17 points per game and classmate guard Deon Andrews adds 14.0 points per game; shooting over 36% (15-of-41) from behind the arc. Senior big men Alvin Braddock and Kevin Jordan combine to average 16 points and almost 14 rebounds per contest.
 
Defensively, SAU is holding opponents to 69 points per game; the second-best mark in the conference. As a team they rank fourth in blocked shots (4.1) and steals (7.4) and fifth in rebounding margin (+0.4).
 
At the free throw line, Southwestern Oklahoma shoots just below Southern Arkansas' average with a mark of .655. The Muleriders shoot at a clip of.664 from the charity stripe.  
 
For fans wanting to follow all the action on Mulerider Athletics' broad range of coverage options can do so here via audio, audio and video, live stats, and live tweets. Be sure to visit muleriderathletics.com for all upcoming news, game releases and other coverage of Mulerider Basketball and Head Coach Any Sharpe.