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GAME NOTES | SAU | OKB |

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Tipping Off
The Southern Arkansas men's basketball team is back in action following the Christmas Holiday break and the Muleriders are looking to snap their current four-game skid. As part of being out of the Christmas Holiday break, the Muleriders' remaining regular season schedule will exclusively be against Great American Conference opponents as SAU looks to position themselves for the GAC Tournament in early March. 

First up for the Muleriders is GAC-newcomer Oklahoma Baptist as SAU embarks on their first Oklahoma road swing of the year. Following their first-ever matchup against Oklahoma Baptist, the Muleriders will venture just west of Oklahoma City and will take on Southern Nazarene on Saturday afternoon.
 

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MULERIDER NEWS & NOTES
The Southern Arkansas men's basketball team enters play this Thursday with a 4-6 overall record and a 1-3 mark in the Great American Conference. The Muleriders are currently on a four-game losing skid.

On the season, the Muleriders are averaging 77.5 points per game, which ranks fifth in the GAC. Defensively, the Muleriders rank seventh in scoring defense in the GAC at 75.3 points per game, and their +2.2 scoring margin ranks fifth in the league.

As a team, the Muleriders are shooting .447 (281-of-629) overall from the floor which includes a shooting mark of .338 (71-of-210) from long range. From the free throw line, the Muleriders are shooting .651 (142-of-218). Their overall field goal percentage ranks fifth in the GAC while their 3-point field goal percentage ranks ninth. At the charity stripe the Muleriders' percentage ranks 12th.

Individually, the Muleriders have four players who are averaging double figures in scoring with Jaron Davis leading the team at 17.6 points per game. Davis's scoring average ranks fifth in the GAC. Deon Andrews is next on the team at 13.7 ppg and just behind Andrews is Denarious Lockhart with 13.0 ppg . Rounding out double-figure scoring on the season is CJ Elkins at 12.3 ppg.

The leading rebounder on the team in terms of rebounding average in Lockhart with 10,5 rpg through two games played. Alvin Braddock, however, leads the team in total rebounds with 69. Davis is the top assist man on the team with an average of 4.9 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 OKLAHOMA BAPTIST
The Oklahoma Baptist men's basketball team enters play this Thursday with a 5-3 overall record and a 1-3 mark in the Great American Conference. The Bison are currently on a two-game winning streak overall with wins over Manhattan Christian College and Central Christian College. In GAC play, however, the Bison have lost their last two games with defeats coming to hands of Arkansas Tech and Harding. On the season, the Bison are averaging 66.0 points per game, which ranks 12th in the GAC. Defensively, the Bison have top-ranked scoring defense in the GAC at 68.6 points per game, but their -2.6 scoring margin ranks eighth in the league.

As a team, the Bison are shooting .394 (177-of-449) overall from the floor which includes a shooting mark of .333 (76-of-230) from long range. From the free throw line, the ison are shooting .726 (98-of-135). Their overall field goal percentage ranks 12th in the GAC while their 3-point field goal percentage ranks 10th. At the charity stripe the Bison's percentage ranks second.

Individually, the Bison have three players who are averaging double figures in scoring with Steven Green leading the team at 17.1 points per game. Green's scoring average ranks seventh in the GAC. Chandler Rickey is next on the team at 13.3 ppg . Rounding out double figure scoring on the season is Vladimir Nemcok at 10.0 ppg.

Rickey is also the leading rebounder on the team and within the GAC at 9.1 rebounds per game. Nemcok is the top assist man on the team and in the GAC with an average of 6.0 assists per game.

COACH
The Bison are coached by Quinn Wooldridge, who is in his first season at Oklahoma Baptist. A former player at Oklahoma Baptist, Wooldridge came to OKB with extensive coaching experience that saw him make stops at Southwestern Christian, Univ. of the Southwest, Oklahoma City Univ., Wayland Baptist, Missouri Baptist, Lyon College, and Eastern Oklahoma State.
 

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THE SERIES
This will be the first meeting all-time between the Muleriders and the Bison of Oklahoma Baptist.

ON TAP
The Muleriders will remain in the Oklahoma City metropolitan area as they will take on Southern Nazarene on Saturday. Tip-off for the game in Bethany, Okla. is scheduled for 3 p.m.