MAGNOLIA, Ark. – Trailing by as much as 19 points in the first half, the Southern Arkansas men's basketball team battled back to pull to within a single point with 1:27 remaining in the game, but Southeastern Oklahoma would stave off the SAU rally and held on for a 71-66 win on Saturday evening inside the W.T. Watson Center.
 
In the first half, the Savage Storm (7-12, 5-8 GAC) were able to build their large lead thanks to a 50% shooting effort overall from the floor (12-of-24). Of those 12 made field goals, six came from long range. Conversely, the Muleriders (10-9, 7-6 GAC) were held to just 30% shooting from the floor (8-of-27) with just one make coming from long range in that opening half.
 
In the second half, however, the shooting tables would turn which helped aid the Muleriders in their comeback effort. In that second half, the Muleriders shot 46% overall from the floor (15-of-33) with four of those makes coming from long range. On the other end of the court, the Savage Storm shot just 28% overall (7-of-25), but four of their makes came from beyond the arc.
 
At the charity stripe, the Savage Storm held the advantage overall shooting 79% (23-of-29), but their success at the line proved bigger in the second half as they went 16-of-19 from the line over the final 20 minutes of the game.
 
Statistically, the Muleriders had three players score double figures with De'Sean Dockery leading the way at 13 points. CJ Elkins and Jaron Davis were behind Dockery with 11 points each. Starting big man Denarious Lockhart had a monster game on the boards, hauling in a season-high 15 with 11 of those coming on the defensive end.
 
The Muleriders will now prepare to hit the road next week with road tests at Northwestern Oklahoma on Thursday and Southwestern Oklahoma on Saturday.