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GAME NOTES | SAU | HSU |

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Tipping Off
The Southern Arkansas men's basketball team is back at home for the first time in over a month as they are set to welcome in Henderson State this Thursday evening. The
last home game for the Muleriders came back in early December against Southwestern Oklahoma, a game in which SWOSU edged the Muleriders, 77-74.

Since that game, the Muleriders played in four games over the Christmas Holiday break, going 2-2. The two wins came in SAU's most-recent action at Oklahoma Baptist and
at Southern Nazarene in GAC play. The pair of wins have kick-started the Muleriders in 2016 and have evened both their overall and conference records.
 

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MULERIDER NEWS & NOTES
The Southern Arkansas men's basketball team enters play this Thursday with a 6-6 overall record and a 3-3 mark in the Great American Conference. The Muleriders are coming off of two-game Oklahoma swing in which they picked up victories at Oklahoma Baptist and Southern Nazarene.

On the season, the Muleriders are averaging 77.3 points per game, which ranks third in the GAC. Defensively, the Muleriders rank sixth in scoring defense in the GAC at 74.0 points per game, and their +3.3 scoring margin ranks fourth in the league.

As a team, the Muleriders are shooting .453 (341-of-752) overall from the floor which includes a shooting mark of .358 (91-of-254) from long range. From the free throw line, the Muleriders are shooting .633 (155-of-245). Their overall field goal percentage ranks third in the GAC while their 3-point field goal percentage ranks seventh. At the charity stripe the Muleriders' percentage ranks 11th.

Individually, the Muleriders have four players who are averaging double figures in scoring with Jaron Davis leading the team at 16.6 points per game. Davis's scoring average ranks seventh in the GAC. Deon Andrews is next on the team at 13.0 ppg and just behind Andrews is CJ Elkins with 12.6 ppg . Rounding out double-figure scoring on the season is Denarious Lockhart at 12.3 ppg.

The leading rebounder on the team in terms of rebounding average in Lockhart with 7.8 rpg through four games played. Alvin Braddock, however, leads the team in total rebounds with 77. Davis is the top assist man on the team with an average of 5.0 assists per game.

COACH
The Muleriders are coached by Andy Sharpe, who is in his fourth season at Southern Arkansas. In his time at SAU, Sharpe has amassed a 41-51 overall record. Last season Sharpe led SAU to a 15-12 overall record and finished tied for third in the GAC with an 11-9 mark in the league. The above .500 season was the program's first winning campaign since the 2001-02 season, while the 15 wins overall tied for the second-most wins in a season since SAU joined NCAA Division II prior to the 1995-96 season. Additionally, the 11 conference wins were the most in the DII era.
 

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SCOUTING HENDERSON STATE
The Henderson State men's basketball team enters play this Thursday with a 3-8 overall record and a 2-4 mark in the Great American Conference. The Reddies are coming off of a loss in their last game, a 64-56 defeat to Northwestern Oklahoma. In the game prior, the Reddies upset then league-leading Southwestern Oklahoma on the road, 77-52.

On the season, the Reddies are averaging 68.3 points per game, which ranks 11th in the GAC. Defensively, the Reddies rank first in scoring defense in the GAC at 69.0 points per game, and their -0.7 scoring margin ranks eighth in the league.

As a team, the Reddies are shooting .433 (273-of-631) overall from the floor which includes a shooting mark of .399 (77-of-193) from long range. From the free throw line, the Reddies are shooting .627 (128-of-204). Their overall field goal percentage ranks eighth in the GAC while their 3-point field goal percentage ranks first. At the charity stripe the
Reddies' percentage ranks 12th.

Individually, the Reddies have three players who are averaging double figures in scoring with Kevin Kozan leading the team at 14.8 points per game. Kozan's scoring average ranks in a tie for 14th in the GAC. Aaron Cooper is next in double figures on the team at 12.0 ppg. while Tavian Pomlee rounds out double-digit scoring at 10.9 ppg. Alioune Mboup is the leading rebounder on the team at 5.4 rebounds per game. Matt Panggio is the top assist man on the team with an average of 2.8 assists per game.

COACH
The Reddies are coached by Jimmy Elgas, who is in his first season at Henderson State. Prior to becoming head coach at Henderson, Elgas was the top assistant at the University of Evansville. While at Evansville, Eglas helped lead the Aces to five post-season appearances.
 

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THE SERIES
This will be the 40th meeting since the beginning of the 1997-98 season between the Muleriders and the Reddies. In that time, the Reddies have a 26-13 advantage over the Muleriders.

ON TAP
The Muleriders will hit the road for a matchup against Arkansas Tech this Saturday afternoon. Tip-off against the Wonder Boys is set for 3 p.m. inside the Tucker Coliseum.