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SOUTHERN ARKANSAS
MULERIDERS
4-2 (2-0 GAC)
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NORTHWESTERN OKLAHOMA
RANGERS
2-3 (0-2 GAC)
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SOUTHWESTERN OKLAHOMA
BULLDOGS
0-5 (0-2 GAC)
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Saturday, December 3 | 3 p.m.
Rankin Williams Fieldhouse - Weatherford, Okla.
LIVE STATS | LIVE VIDEO
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Tipping Off - Southern Arkansas News and Notes
The Southern Arkansas men's basketball team enters play this weekend with a 4-2 overall record and a 2-0 mark in the GAC. On the season, the Muleriders are averaging 72.8 points per game, which ranks 10th in the GAC. Defensively, the Muleriders rank second in scoring defense in the GAC at 63.5 points per game,
and their +9.3 scoring margin ranks sixth in the league.
As a team, the Muleriders are shooting .433 (157-of-363) overall from the floor which includes a shooting mark of .314 (37-of-118) from long range. From the free throw line, the Muleriders are shooting .705 (86-of-122). Their overall field goal percentage ranks ninth in the GAC while their 3-point field goal percentage ranks 10th. At the charity stripe the Muleriders' percentage ranks sixth.
Individually, the Muleriders have two players who are averaging double figures in scoring with
CJ Elkins leading the team at 17.8 points per game. Elkins' scoring average ranks 3rd in the GAC.
Snyder Cenecharles is next on the team at 11.7 ppg.
The leading rebounder on the team is
Denarious Lockhart with 9.0 rpg. Elkins is the top assist man on the team with an average of 2.5 assists per game.
COACH
The Muleriders are coached by
Andy Sharpe, who is in his fifth season at Southern Arkansas. In his time at SAU, Sharpe has amassed a 58-60 overall record.
Over the past two seasons, Sharpe has begun to turn the Muleriders into serious contenders in the GAC as SAU has won 24 conference games and have finished in the top half of the standings each year as well. Overall in the past two seasons, Sharpe has guided the Muleriders to a 32-25 record while also posting consecutive winning seasons for the first time since the 2000-01 and 2001-02 seasons.
SCOUTING NORTHWESTERN OKLAHOMA
The Northwestern Oklahoma State men's basketball team enters play with a 2-3 overall record and an 0-2 mark in the Great American Conference. The Rangers are coming off of a win in their most-recent action as they beat Emporia State, 83-79. That game was the home-opener for the Rangers and the first of four-straight on the schedule at home.
As a team, the Rangers are shooting .463 (137-of-296) overall from the floor which includes a shooting mark of .352 (32-of-91) from long range. From the free throw line, the Rangers are shooting .669 (81-of-121). Their overall field goal percentage ranks fifth in the GAC while their 3-point field goal percentage ranks sixth. At the charity stripe the Rangers' percentage ranks 11th.
So far this season, the Rangers are averaging 77.4 points per game offensively, and are allowing a 80.2 points per game defensively. Their -2.8 scoring margin ranks 11th in the GAC.
Two Rangers are averaging double-figures in scoring with Adrian Motley leading the team with 17.8 points per game. Cody Halvorson is next at 11.2 ppg. Motley is also the team's leading rebounder at 8.0rebounds per game. Brandon Green is the team's top assist man at 4.6 assists per game.
COACH
The Rangers are coached by Shawn Dirden, who is in his first season at Northwestern Oklahoma. Prior to becoming the head coach at NWOSU, Dirden spent two seasons as an assistant at the University of North Dakota. In those two seasons, Dirden helped lead UND to a 25-38 record.
LAST YEAR/LAST TIME OUT
Last year, the two teams met twice with each team coming away with a road win. Thursday's game will be the first meeting this year between the Muleriders and the Rangers.
THE SERIES
This is the ninth meeting all-time between SAU and NWOSU. During that time, NWOSU holds a 5-3 series lead. The two teams have played at least twice a year since 2012-13 when NWOSU joined SAU as members of the Great American Conference.
SCOUTING SOUTHWESTERN OKLAHOMA
The Southwestern Oklahoma basketball team enters play this weekend with an 0-5 overall record and an 0-2 mark in the Great American Conference. The Bulldogs are coming off of a three-game road swing and will play a pair of home games this weekend.
On the season, the Bulldogs are averaging 60.4 points per game, which ranks 12th in the GAC. Defensively, the Bulldogs are allowing 81.6 points per game, ranking their scoring defense 12th in the GAC. Their -21.2 scoring margin ranks 12th in the league.
As a team, the Bulldogs are shooting .358 (105-of-293) overall from the floor which includes a shooting mark of .309 (42-of-136) from long range. From the free throw line, the Bulldogs are shooting .694 (50-of-72). Their overall field goal percentage ranks 12th in the GAC while their 3-point field goal percentage ranks 11th. At the charity stripe the Bulldogs' percentage ranks eighth.
Individually, one Bulldog is averaging double figures as Devin Pugh leads the way at 14.4 points per game. Altez Davis is the team's leading rebounder at 5.6 boards per game. Markeise Champion is the leading assist man on the team at 2.6 assists per game.
COACH
The Bulldogs are coached by Bob Battisti, who is in his fourth season as the head coach at Southwestern Oklahoma. In his first three seasons, Battisti has amassed a 50-35 overall record, finishing above .500 and winning at least 16 games each year. Prior to his time at Southwestern, Battisti spent 21 seasons as the head coach at Northwestern Oklahoma where he guided the Rangers to a 374-265 record from 1986-87 to 2006-07.
LAST YEAR/LAST TIME OUT
Last year, the two teams met three times with a pair of regular season meetings and an opening round matchup in the GAC Tournament. SWOSU took the two regular season games, but the Muleriders edged the Bulldogs in the tournament, 83-82. Combined the margin of victory for the three games was just six points.
This will be the first meeting this year between the Muleriders and the Bulldogs.
THE SERIES
This is the 13th meeting since the 1997-98 season between SAU and SWOSU with the Bulldogs holding an 8-4 lead in the series. Both teams are charter members of the GAC and play at least twice annually.
