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SOUTHERN ARKANSAS
MULERIDERS
12-14 (10-10 GAC) |
SOUTHERN NAZARENE
CRIMSON STORM
16-10 (13-7 GAC) |
OKLAHOMA BAPTIST
BISON
7-17 (4-16 GAC)Â |
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GAME NOTES (PDF)
Tipping Off
The Southern Arkansas men's basketball team enters play this weekend on a bit of roll having won three of their last four games. The most-recent victory was a 30-point win over Harding at home on Senior Day that also resulted in the Muleriders clinching a spot in the upcoming GAC Tournament. It will be the Muleriders' sixth-straight appearance in the tournament and the fifth-straight under head coach
Andy Sharpe.
While they have secured a spot in the tournament, the Muleriders seed is still very much up in the air. Currently, the Muleriders are tied for sixth-place, but have the ability to pull to a tie for fifth-place or even secure fifth-place to themselves if they are to win out.
In order to do that, the Muleriders will have to pick up road victories as their final two games of the regular season are on the road, first at Southern Nazarene on Thursday and then at Oklahoma Baptist on Saturday. The Muleriders will be looking to avenge a home loss to Southern Nazarene while seeking a season-sweep of Oklahoma Baptist.
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MULERIDER NEWS & NOTES
The Southern Arkansas men's basketball team enters play this weekend with a 12-14 overall record and a 10-10 mark in the GAC. The Muleriders have won three of their last four games and have clinched a berth into the upcoming Great American Conference Tournament in Bartlesville.
On the season, the Muleriders are averaging 73.4 points per game, which ranks ninth in the GAC. Defensively, the Muleriders rank fourth in scoring defense in the GAC at 72.8 points per game, and their +0.5 scoring margin ranks ninth in the league.
As a team, the Muleriders are shooting .431 (677-of-1,571) overall from the floor which includes a shooting mark of .322 (149-of-463) from long range. From the free throw line, the Muleriders are shooting .650 (405-of-623). Their overall field goal percentage ranks 10th in the GAC while their 3-point field goal percentage ranks ninth. At the charity stripe the Muleriders' percentage ranks 11th.
Individually, the Muleriders have three players who are averaging double figures in scoring with
CJ Elkins leading the team at 16.8 points per game. Elkins' scoring average ranks seventh in the GAC.
De'Sean Dockery is next on the team at 11.0 ppg and
Snyder Cenecharles rounds out double figure scoring with a 10.4 ppg average. The leading rebounder on the team is
Denarious Lockhart with 8.3 rpg. Elkins is the top assist man on the team with an average of 2.7 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 63-70 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.
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SCOUTING SOUTHERN NAZARENE
The Southern Nazarene men's basketball team enters play this weekend with a 16-10 overall record and are 13-7 in the Great American Conference. The Crimson Storm have won their last four games and appeared in the latest NCAA Central Region Rankings at No. 10.
As a team, the Crimson Storm are shooting .462 (745-of-1,612) overall from the floor which includes a shooting mark of .351 (182-of-518) from long range. From the free throw line, the Crimson Storm are shooting .684 (329-of-481). Their overall field goal percentage ranks third in the GAC while their 3-point field goal percentage ranks sixth. At the charity stripe the Crimson Storm's percentage ranks 10th. So far this season, the Crimson Storm are averaging 77.0 points per game offensively, and are allowing 69.2 points per game defensively. Their points per game scoring ranks fifth in the GAC while their scoring defense per game ranks first in the league.
Currently three Crimson Storm players are averaging double-figures in scoring with Jhonathan Dunn leading the team with 13.7 points per game. LB Willis is next at 12.5 ppg and Deshon Portley rounds out double figure scoring with 12.2 ppg. Noah Starkey is the team's leading rebounder at 7.0 rebounds per game. Willis is the team's top assist man at 3.4 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 time out, SAU was tripped up at home against Southern Nazarene, 62-52.
THE SERIES
This is the 10th 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 and lead the series 7-2 after winning the last meeting.
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SCOUTING OKLAHOMA BAPTIST
The Oklahoma Baptist men's basketball team enters play this weekend with a 7-17 overall record and a 4-16 mark in the Great American Conference. The Bison enter the weekend having won their last two games.
On the season, the Bison are averaging 71.0 points per game, which ranks 11th in the GAC. Defensively, the Bison are allowing 79.1 points per game, ranking their scoring defense 10th in the GAC. Their -8.1 scoring margin ranks 11th in the league.
As a team, the Bison are shooting .429 (583-of-1,358) overall from the floor which includes a shooting mark of .303 (164-of-542) from long range. From the free throw line, the Bison are shooting .694 (375-of-540). Their overall field goal percentage ranks 11th in the GAC while their 3-point field goal percentage ranks 12th. At the charity stripe the Bison's percentage ranks ninth.
Individually, five Bison are averaging double figures with Chandler Rickey leading the way at 15.8 points per game. Kevin Franceschi is next in scoring at 14.7 ppg followed by Steven Green at 11.1 ppg. Travon Moore averages 10.5 ppg and Vladimir Nemcok rounds out double-figure scoring at 10.4 ppg. Rickey is also the team's leading rebounder at 7.0 boards per game. Nemcok is the leading assist man on the team 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 time out, the Muleriders led wire-to-wire and used a quick start to carry them to an eventual 10-point win. In the game, sophomore guard
CJ Elkins scored a career-high 29 points on 12-of-17 shooting.
THE SERIES
This is the fourth meeting all-time between SAU and OKB as the Bison began their transition to the NCAA and joined the GAC prior to last season. In the brief series history, SAU is 3-0 against the Bison.
