MAGNOLIA, Ark. – A strong defensive effort coupled with a balanced offensive attack propelled the Southern Arkansas Lady Mulerider Basketball team past Ouachita, 62-55, as SAU picked up their second Great American Conference win in three games on Saturday afternoon inside the W.T. Watson Center.
 
RECORDS
Ouachita (7-10, 4-7 GAC)
Southern Arkansas (5-10, 3-8 GAC)
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• Ouachita led 35-31 at the halftime break and owned an eight-point lead with 4:18 remaining in the second quarter. The Lady Tigers shot over 42% from deep in the first two quarters and turned ten first half turnovers by Southern Arkansas into 14 points.
• The Lady Muleriders clamped down defensively in the second half holding Ouachita to just 20 points, including a game-low eight points in the fourth quarter. The SAU defense forced Ouachita to shoot 28.6% in the second half and 11.1% (1-of-9) from three-point range over the final two quarters.
• Southern Arkansas used a 7-0 run out of the break to take a 38-35 lead with 6:47 to play in the third quarter. A quick trifecta from Anna Djedjemel, an inside bucket by Kimberly Crown and a baseline jumper from Aaliyah Holmes highlighted the stretch.
• Ouachita's last lead gained came at the 4:09 mark of the third quarter on a Katie Kapler jumper that put the Lady Tigers up 45-44.
• Djedjemel answered with a jumper of her own to give SAU the lead for good and Jaida Harden followed with a three-pointer on the next trip down the floor to put SAU up four, 49-45.
• Crown sparked the offense in the fourth quarter scoring the first six of SAU's 12 points in the period as the Lady Muleriders built an eight-point advantage and used free throws from Djedjemel and Harden down the stretch to put the game on ice.

 
FOR SOUTHERN ARKANSAS

• Crown led three Lady Muleriders in double figures with 16 points, including 11 in the second half and added nine rebounds and three blocks.
• Djedjemel followed with a dozen points adding five rebounds and five steals, while Jaida Harden scored ten points.
• Holmes registered nine points and a career-high six assists in a team-leading 35 minutes of action. Makaila Jordan grabbed eight rebounds.

 
FOR THE OPPOSITION

• Madison Brittain and Chasidee Owens led Ouachita with a dozen points each and Kori Bullard followed with ten points. Bria Caldwell added eight points.
• Owens and Bullard grabbed nine rebounds apiece, while the latter added two blocks and two steals. Alivia Huell recorded six rebounds.
• Kapler registered a team-high four assists.

 
OF NOTE

• The contest featured nine lead changes and six tied games.
• Ouachita, which entered play with the third-highest scoring offense in the GAC, scored a season-low 55 points.
• Southern Arkansas shot 38.3% from the floor, including 40.7% in the second half.
• SAU outscored Ouachita in bench points (20-14) and points in the paint (28-20), while Ouachita led in points off of turnovers (18-13) and fast break points (6-2). Each team scored nine second chance points.

 
UP NEXT

• Southern Arkansas prepares for their first Oklahoma road swing of the calendar year as it finishes up the home-and-home matchup with Southeastern Oklahoma and East Central. The Lady Muleriders travel to Durant for a 5:30 p.m. tip-off with the Savage Storm on Thursday, January 26, before taking the floor against the Tigers in Ada on Saturday, January 28, at 1 p.m.
• SAU defeated East Central 54-48 on November 17 in the league opener for both programs, but fell two days later to Southeastern Oklahoma, 77-61.
• Live stats for Thursday's contest can be found here: http://www.sidearmstats.com/se/wbball/.  
• Live video will also be provided: http://www.gosoutheastern.com/sports/2015/8/31/GEN_0831155904.aspx.
• Be sure to visit muleriderathletics.com for continuing coverage of Lady Mulerider Basketball including pre- and post-game updates, weekly notes, and the coach's show with Head Coach Julio Pacheco.