|
SOUTHERN ARKANSAS
MULERIDERS
7-10 (5-6 GAC)
|
SOUTHEASTERN OKLAHOMA
SAVAGE STORM
8-9 (4-7 GAC)
|
EAST CENTRAL
TIGERS
12-5 (8-3 GAC)
|
|
GAME NOTES (PDF)
Tipping Off
The Southern Arkansas men's basketball team has completed their first go-round of games against Great American Conference opponents and begins their second tour of the league this weekend with stops at Southeastern Oklahoma on Thursday night and East Central on Saturday.
In their first half of the GAC schedule, the Muleriders went 5-6 and are currently in line for the eighth and final spot in the upcoming GAC Tournament.
SAU's opponents this week are among two of the hottest teams in the GAC as Southeastern has won four of their last five games and East Central having won a 12 of their last 13 games, which included a 12-game winning streak.
Prior to those runs, both Southeastern and East Central were winless in the GAC and now Southeastern is a game back of SAU and East Central is now alone in second place in the conference standings.
MULERIDER NEWS & NOTES
The Southern Arkansas men's basketball team enters play this weekend with a 7-10 overall record and a 5-6 mark in the GAC. The Muleriders are coming off of a win in their last game as they outlasted Ouachita at home for a 69-67 win.
On the season, the Muleriders are averaging 72.8 points per game, which ranks ninth in the GAC. Defensively, the Muleriders rank seventh in scoring defense in the GAC at 72.5 points per game, and their +0.4 scoring margin ranks 10th in the league.
As a team, the Muleriders are shooting .422 (435-of-1,032) overall from the floor which includes a shooting mark of .280 (83-of-296) from long range. From the free throw line, the Muleriders are shooting .663 (285-of-430). Their overall field goal percentage ranks 11th in the GAC while their 3-point field goal percentage ranks 12th. At the charity stripe the Muleriders' percentage ranks 10th.
Individually, the Muleriders have two players who are averaging double figures in scoring with
CJ Elkins leading the team at 17.5 points per game. Elkins' scoring average ranks fifth in the GAC.
Snyder Cenecharles is next on the team at 10.9 ppg.
The leading rebounder on the team is
Denarious Lockhart with 8.8 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 60-67 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 SOUTHEASTERN OKLAHOMA
The Southeastern Oklahoma men's basketball team enters play this weekend with an 8-9 overall record and are 4-7 in the Great American Conference. The Savage Storm have won their last two games and are also winners in four of their last five dating back to the middle of January.
As a team, the Savage Storm are shooting .434 (428-of-987) overall from the floor which includes a shooting mark of .368 (144-of-391) from long range. From the free throw line, the Savage Storm are shooting .690 (205-of-297). Their overall field goal percentage ranks 10th in the GAC while their 3-point field goal percentage ranks third. At the charity stripe the Savage Storm's percentage ranks eighth.
So far this season, the Savage Storm are averaging 70.9 points per game offensively, and are allowing a 68.0 points per game defensively. Their points per game scoring ranks 11th in the GAC while their scoring defense per game ranks first in the league.
A pair of Savage Storm players are averaging double-figures in scoring with Anton Cook leading the team with 15.0 points per game. Kevin Buckingham is next and rounds out double figure scoring at 11.9 ppg. Tyler Lonzie is also the team's leading rebounder at 7.3 rebounds per game. Jett Jobe is the team's top assist man at 4.9 assists per game.
COACH
The Savage Storm are coached by Kelly Green, who is in his sixth season as the head coach at Southeastern Oklahoma. In his first five seasons, Green has amassed a 70-97 overall record. Prior to his time at Southeastern, Green spent 14 seasons as the head coach at Arizona Western where he guided that junior college program to a 342-107 record.
LAST YEAR/LAST TIME OUT
Last time out, SAU picked up a 67-49 win at home over Southeastern Oklahoma. In that game, SAU's defense shined through as they limited the Savage Storm to just an overall field goal percentage of 26% as Southeastern was 18-of-70 for the game.
THE SERIES
This is the 47th meeting all-time between Southern Arkansas and Southeastern Oklahoma with SAU holding a 25-21 lead in the series. Since the two became conference rivals at the beginning of the 2011-12 season, the Muleriders hold a 7-4 record over the Savage Storm.
SCOUTING EAST CENTRAL
The East Central men's basketball team enters play this weekend with a 12-5 overall record and an 8-3 mark in the Great American Conference. The Tigers lost their most-recent game at home against Northwestern Oklahoma, 83-71. That loss snapped an impressive On the season, the Tigers are averaging 80.3 points per game, which ranks fourth in the GAC. Defensively, the Tigers are allowing 72.4 points per game, ranking their scoring defense in a tie for fifth in the GAC. Their +7.9 scoring margin ranks third in the league.
As a team, the Tigers are shooting .467 (457-of-978) overall from the floor which includes a shooting mark of .394 (150-of-381) from long range. From the free throw line, the Tigers are shooting .703 (301-of-428). Their overall field goal percentage ranks third in the GAC while their 3-point field goal percentage ranks first. At the charity stripe the Tigers' percentage ranks sixth.
Individually, two Tigers are averaging double figures with Braxton Reeves leading the way at 21.3 points per game. Reeves also leads the GAC in scoring. Ishmael Donzo is the next leading scorer at 14.1 points per game. Donzo is the team's leading rebounder at 8.6 boards per game. Brett Cannon is the leading assist man on the team at 4.2 assists per game.
COACH
The Tigers are coached by Ja Havens, who is in his fourth season at East Central. In his three previous seasons, Havens has led the Tigers to a 58-30 overall record. In each of the last two years, Havens' Tigers have won 20 or more games including a 22-8 record last year.
LAST YEAR/LAST TIME OUT
Last time out, SAU held off East Central for a 64-60 win at home. In that game, the Muleriders had one of their best performances of the year at the free throw line shooting 82%. Conversely, the Tigers shot 59% and missed 12 free throws.
THE SERIES
This is the 17th meeting between SAU and ECU since the 1997-98 season. During that time, the series is tied 8-8 lead. Both SAU and ECU became charter members of the Great American Conference and started to play as conference foes in 2011-12. In that time, SAU holds a slim 6-5 advantage.
