|
SOUTHERN ARKANSAS
MULERIDERS
5-5 (3-1 GAC)
|
OKLAHOMA BAPTIST
BISON
4-4 (1-3 GAC)
|
SOUTHERN NAZARENE
CRIMSON STORM
6-4 (3-1 GAC)
|
|
GAME NOTES (PDF)
Tipping Off
The Southern Arkansas men's basketball team is looking to snap a season-long three-game skid this week as they jump fully back in to Great American Conference play with games against Oklahoma Baptist on Thursday and Southern Nazarene on Saturday.
The Muleriders recently ended a 26-day layoff with non-conference games against Central Baptist and Texas A&M-Commerce last week. The Muleriders lost both games, but are primed moving forward for the critical second-half of the season as SAU will play all GAC games the rest of the way out.
Entering play this weekend, the Muleriders are 3-1 in the GAC, placing them one game ack of Arkansas-Monticello, who currently leads the league at 4-0.
MULERIDER NEWS & NOTES
The Southern Arkansas men's basketball team enters play this weekend with a 5-5 overall record and a 3-1 mark in the GAC.
On the season, the Muleriders are averaging 73.4 points per game, which ranks 10th in the GAC. Defensively, the Muleriders rank second in scoring defense in the GAC at 69.0 points per game, and their +4.4 scoring margin ranks eighth in the league.
As a team, the Muleriders are shooting .423 (246-of-581) overall rom the floor which includes a shooting mark of .309 (58-of-188) from long range. From the free throw line, the Muleriders are shooting .667 (184-of-276). Their overall field goal percentage ranks ninth in the GAC while their 3-point field goal percentage ranks 12th. At the charity stripe the Muleriders' percentage ranks 11th.
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 in tie for sixth in the GAC.
Snyder Cenecharles is next on the team at 11.3 ppg.
The leading rebounder on the team is
Denarious Lockhart with 9.0 rpg. Elkins is the top assist man on the team with an average of 2.3 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 58-60 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 OKLAHOMA BAPTIST
The Oklahoma Baptist men's basketball team enters play with a 4-4 overall record and are 1-3 in the Great American Conference. The Bison have won their last two games, both non-conference affairs, and will be taking to the road for the first time since the middle of November.
As a team, the Bison are shooting .500 (236-of-472) overall from he floor which includes a shooting mark of .346 (62-of-179) from long range. From the free throw line, the Bison are shooting .716 (131-of-183). Their overall field goal percentage ranks third in the GAC while their 3-point field goal percentage ranks sixth. At the charity stripe the Bison's percentage ranks fifth.
So far this season, the Bison are averaging 83.1 points per game offensively, and are allowing a 74.9 points per game defensively. Their points per game scoring ranks fourth in the GAC while their scoring defense per game ranks ninth.
Five Bison are averaging double-figures in scoring with Steven Green leading the team with 17.6 points per game. Chandler Rickey is right behind at 17.5 ppg. Green is also the team's leading rebounder at 9.3 rebounds per game. Vladimir Nemcok is the team's top assist man at 4.3 assists per game.
COACH
The Bison are coached by Quinn Wooldridge, who is in his second season at Oklahoma Baptist. A former player at Oklahoma Baptist, Wooldridge came to OKB with extensive coaching experience that saw him make stops at Southwestern Christian, Univ. of the Southwest, Oklahoma City Univ., Wayland Baptist, Missouri Baptist, Lyon College, and Eastern Oklahoma State.
Last season, Wooldridge led the Bison to a 7-19 overall record. He is the Bison's first coach as members of the NCAA.
LAST YEAR/LAST TIME OUT
Last year, SAU and Oklahoma Baptist met twice with SAU claiming both games. In their most-recent game against one another, SAU held on for a thrilling 94-91 win in Magnolia.
THE SERIES
This is the third meeting all-time between SAU and Oklahoma Baptist as the Bison began their transition to the NCAA and joined the Great American Conference prior to last season. In the brief series history, SAU is 2-0 against the Bison.
SCOUTING SOUTHERN NAZARENE
The Southern Nazarene basketball team enters play this weekend with a 6-4 overall record and a 3-1 mark in the Great American Conference. The Crimson Storm have won their last four games and their four losses on the season have come by a combined 10 points.
On the season, the Crimson Storm are averaging 79.1 points per game, which ranks fifth in the GAC. Defensively, the Crimson Storm are allowing 74.2 points per game, ranking their scoring defense seventh in the GAC. Their +4.9 scoring margin ranks sixth in the league.
As a team, the Crimson Storm are shooting .463 (288-of-622) overall from the floor which includes a shooting mark of .349 (68-of-195) from long range. From the free throw line, the Crimson Storm are shooting .684 (147-of-215). Their overall field goal percentage ranks fifth in the GAC while their 3-point field goal percentage ranks fourth. At the charity stripe the Crimson Storm's percentage ranks ninth.
Individually, five Crimson Storm regulars are averaging double figures with Deshon Portley leading the way at 12.6 points per game. Noah Starkey is the team's leading rebounder at 7.4 boards per game. LB Willis is the leading assist man on the team at 3.5 assists per game.
COACH
The Crimson Storm are coached by Adam Bohac, who is in his ninth season at Southern Nazarene. In his previous eight seasons, Bohac has amassed a 155-94 overall record and has won 20 or more games four times.
LAST YEAR/LAST TIME OUT
Last year, SAU and Southern Nazarene met twice with SAU claiming both games. In their most-recent game against one another, SAU closed out the regular season with a 63-55 win.
THE SERIES
This is the ninth meeting all-time between SAU and SNU. The two teams became conference opponents prior to the 2012-13 season and have met twice each year since. SNU began the series with six-straight wins, but SAU has won the two most-recent games.
