MAGNOLIA, Ark. – The Southern Arkansas men's basketball team held a double-digit lead in the early going of the second half, but 10 three-pointers over the final 17 minutes of that half by Arkansas Tech lifted the Wonder Boys (13-10, 8-9 GAC) past the Muleriders (12-11, 9-8 GAC) by a score of 78-73 on Saturday evening inside the W.T. Watson Center.
 
The three-point barrage by the Wonder Boys began at the 17:07 mark of the second half and served as an answer to a Muleriders' three-pointer that was buried by Deon Andrews on the prior possession. The Andrews' trifecta had given the Muleriders an 11-point lead, 42-31, with 17:27 remaining in the game and it also represented the largest lead of the game for SAU.
 
However, Tech's success from long range from there on out erased the Mulerider lead while also building a small cushion for the Wonder Boys that the Muleriders could not overcome down the stretch.
 
Statistically, the Muleriders would get an overall balanced scoring effort as four of their starters would score in double figures with their fifth starter, De'Sean Dockery, scoring nine points. Of those starters in double-figures, CJ Elkins would lead the way with 15 points. Andrews was next with 14 points and Denarious Lockhart had 13 points. Lockhart would also haul in 12 rebounds for his third double-double of the year. Rounding out double-digit scoring was Tony Aska as he had 12 points to tie his season-best.   
 
In terms of team statistics, the two teams would shoot nearly the same percentage overall from the floor for the game with the Wonder Boys shooting 43% (23-of-54) and the Muleriders 42% (27-of-65). From the charity stripe, the Wonder Boys would make just three more free throws than the Muleriders (18-15), but as alluded to earlier the three-point line was the difference as the Wonder  Boys made 10 more three's than the Muleriders (14-4).
 
The Muleriders will look to rebound quickly as they are set to play Arkansas-Monticello at home on Monday, February 15 as part of "Rivalry Night" in the Great American Conference. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. inside the W.T. Watson Center.