MAGNOLIA, Ark. – The Southern Arkansas men's basketball team had their sights set on knocking No. 22 Arkansas-Monticello from the ranks of the unbeaten on Monday night, but a high-scoring contest eventually went the way of UAM as the Boll Weevils were able to out-last SAU down the stretch, holding on for a 96-87 win.
 
RECORDS
#22 Arkansas-Monticello Boll Weevils (13-0, 9-0 GAC)
Southern Arkansas Muleriders (6-9, 4-5 GAC)
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• The first five and a half minutes of action between the Muleriders and the Boll Weevils got the game off to a torrid back-and-forth start as the two teams were cliquing offensively from the outset and were seemingly trading baskets. Over that initial period of action, the lead changed hands a remarkable seven times as the largest lead on either side was just two points.
• The Boll Weevils were the first ones to break beyond that slim margin after Tyrin Jones converted an old-fashioned three-point play at the 14:00 mark to give UAM a five-point lead, 16-11. The Muleriders then went on a 6-0 run over the next two minutes of game time to snag the lead once more, this time at 17-16 with 12:02 left in the opening half.
• Shortly thereafter, UAM regained the lead and swelled it to as much as 11 points when Karim Mawuenyega made good on a pair of free throws with 6:07 to go.
• With 2:47 left and SAU trailing by 11 points, the Muleriders put together a 10-4 run to pull as close as five points with just under 40 ticks left, but a late layup by UAM gave the Boll Weevils a seven-point advantage at the break, 48-41.
• Similar to the opening action of the first half, the Muleriders were in rhythm offensively and pulled back to within a point, 52-51, at the 16:33 mark. Initially, UAM weathered that push, but a CJ elkins jumper about two minutes later tied the game at 55-all with 14:37 left. About a minute later, Elkins gave the Muleriders their first lead since the 12:02 mark of the first half as converted an and-one opportunity.
• Again, SAU's lead was short-lived as UAM answered right back with a three-pointer. That trey triggered a 13-0 run by the Boll Weevils that gave them another 11-point lead, this time with just under 10 minutes left in the second half.
• Once more, the Muleriders remained valiant and began to get on the comeback trail and pulled to within five points, 70-65 with 7:43 to go.
• It was a five-point game once more with 7:17 left on the clock thanks to De'Dean Dockery layup, but UAM stopped the Muleriders rally there and began to increase their lead once more, swelling it to its apex of 12 points, 85-73, with 3:58 left in regulation.
• A three-ball by Dockery, however, brought the game back within single digits and the Muleriders even made it a two-possession game, 90-86, with 38 seconds left, but UAM was able to salt the game away at the free throw line, hitting on all six of their attempts thereafter.

 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• Darnell Jones-Bowie was an offensive spark plug against UAM as he scored a career-high 23 points. His previous high came in his most-recent game against Arkansas Tech as he went for 17 points. In the past two games, Jones-Bowie has raised his points per game average from 6.9 to 8.9, propelling him to the team's third-leading scorer on the season.
• After only scoring three points in the first half, SAU's leading scorer CJ Elkins scored 14 second-half points to end the game with 17, one back of his season average of 18 points.
• De'Sean Dockery matched a season-high in points with 17. He has now reached that number three times and has done so in successive games.

 
UP NEXT
The Muleriders will now prepare for a difficult road test on Thursday as they travel to Harding to take on the Bisons. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.