MAGNOLIA, Ark. – Freshman forward DeVante Brooks logged a double-double effort behind a career-high 24 points and ten rebounds, while junior guard CJ Elkins delivered with 21 points and senior forward KJ Collins chipped in with 11 points as Southern Arkansas punched their seventh-straight ticket to the postseason with a 79-68 disposing of Henderson State on Thursday evening's "Senior Night" inside a packed out W.T. Watson Center.
 
After a tough start to the league slate to begin the season, the Muleriders (14-13, 10-11 GAC) will enjoy basketball in March as they head back to Bartlesville for the seventh-straight season, the last six of which have come under current head coach Andy Sharpe. SAU and Arkansas Tech will be the only two programs that have attended the GAC's postseason party in seven-consecutive seasons when the league's top eight teams convene in the Sonner State next week.
 
Southern Arkansas led by nine after the first half, but only after the Muleriders found their rhythm in the final ten minutes before the break. Henderson State held the lead for the game's first 7:45 of action, before a midrange jumper from redshirt freshman forward Charlie Thomas tied the low-scoring affair at 8 each at the 12:14 mark of the opening half. Freshman guard Aaron Lucas would answer the Reddies with a lay-in at the 10:50 mark to notch the game at 10 points apiece.
 
Thomas followed with an inside bucket moments later to give the Muleriders a 12-10 lead that they would not surrender for the remainder of the night.
 
Senior guard Keeton Tennison assisted Elkins with an up-tempo basket to start the second half and push the Mulerider advantage into double-digits at 39-28. Southern Arkansas led by double-digits for more than 14 minutes in the second half, while their lead got as high as 16 points, before the night was capped off with Lucas finding Brooks for a transition dunk with under 20 seconds remaining.
 
For the second time in three games, the Muleriders made a season-low four three-pointers, but shot 47.7% overall from the floor. SAU out-muscled Henderson State inside by outscoring the Reddies 48-22 in the paint. Additionally, 22 of the Muleriders' 25 second chance points came in the first half and SAU allowed just seven such points to Henderson State in each half.
 
Elkins added seven rebounds, five assists and two steals to his stat line and Collins grabbed five rebounds and a steal. Thomas and Lucas each finished with seven points and combined for nine rebounds, while Lucas added a game-high four assists.
 
With one game remaining in the league schedule, all eight tournament spots have been filled, but seeding is still left to be determined. The Muleriders are tied for seventh place with Ouachita and the two teams will battle for the seventh seed on Saturday. Southern Arkansas could finish as high as sixth in the standings with a win over Ouachita and an Arkansas Tech loss to Arkansas-Monticello.
 
The Muleriders and the Tigers meet on Saturday, February 24, in the regular season finale from inside Bill Vining Arena. The Muleriders beat OUA in Magnolia 69-64 on January 18. Tip-off from Clark County is scheduled for 3 p.m. Live links for all of the action are available at www.MuleriderAthletics.com.