DURANT, Okla. – Senior forward Tony Aksa converted an and-one opportunity with just 10 seconds left on the clock to give the Southern Arkansas men's basketball team a one-point victory, 66-65, over Southeastern Oklahoma on Thursday night at the Bloomer Sullivan Arena in Durant.
 
RECORDS
Southern Arkansas Muleriders (8-10, 6-6 GAC)
Southeastern Oklahoma Savage Storm (8-10, 4-8 GAC)
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• After taking a one-point lead into the locker room, SAU found themselves trailing for most of the second half until the late-game heroics of Aska flipped the game into the win column for the Muleriders.
• With 1:19 to go in the game, Southeastern appeared to deliver the debilitating blow to the Muleriders as Bobby Johnson doubled the Savage Storm lead to six points, 64-58, by hitting a three-pointer.
• The Muleriders got that three-pointer right back, however, as Keeton Tennison buried a trifecta of his own on SAU's return trip down the court. Now a three-point game once more with just over a minute to play, Southeastern aimed to burn as much clock as possible and eventually put up a three-point attempt with 31 seconds, but it drew iron and Aska hauled in the ever important defensive rebound.
• On SAU's ensuing possession, Babajide Aina was fouled, sending him to the line for a pair of free throws. Aina missed on both attempts, but Aska was there on the second miss and the Meridan, Okla. native cleaned the glass and tapped the ball in for a put-back basket to make it a 64-63 game in favor of the Savage Storm with 18 seconds left.
• A foul followed on the other end of the court and Southeastern's Anton Cook went to the line to try and make it a three-point game once more. Cook was true on his first attempt, but missed the second and none other than Aska was there for the defensive board.
• Following the rebound, the Muleriders quickly got up the court and looked to attack the basket. That's when Aska was found on the interior for the game-tying layup. On the take, Aska was fouled, sending him to the line with a chance to convert an old-fashioned three-point play.
• Having only made one of his previous five free throw attempts, the pressure was immense for Aska, but he delivered on the opportunity and suddenly with 10 seconds left on the clock, SAU had a one-point lead, 66-65.
• Now looking to win the game on any made basket, Southeastern raced the ball up the court, but the Mulerider defense was incredibly stout, and all the Savage Storm could muster was a desperation three-pointer at the buzzer, which did not go, sealing the victory for the Muleriders.

 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• In the final 31 seconds of the game, Tony Aska accounted for three rebounds (two defensive) and five points. That stretch helped give Aska a double-double as he ended the game with 12 points and 13 rebounds. It was Aska's third double-double of the season and his second-consecutive as well.
• Keeton Tennison provided an offensive lift off the bench as he scored a team-high 15 points on 5-of-7 shooting. Three of his makes came from long-range.
• As a team, the Muleriders had one of their most efficient shooting games of the year as they shot 52% overall from the floor. A key to that success was their ability to control the inside as the Muleirders out-scored the Savage Storm 40-16 in the paint.

 
UP NEXT
The Muleriders will remain on the road as they travel to Ada, Okla. to take on East Central on Saturday, January 28. The Tigers are among one of the hottest teams in the GAC having won 13 of their last 14 games. Tip-off is scheduled for 3 p.m.