Magnolia, Ark. - The Muleriders are back in action this week with a pair of home matchups against Oklahoma opposition, as the Muleriders enter the home stretch of the season where they are home in six of the team's final 10 games. Their opponents this week are Southwestern Oklahoma State on Thursday and Northwestern Oklahoma State on Saturday. Last time the Muleriders played these teams, they lost both games in Oklahoma, losing 92-56 to Northwestern on January 3rd and 90-59 to Southwestern on January 5th. 

Southwestern Oklahoma State are currently 17-1 on the season, and 12-0 in the GAC. The Bulldogs currently sit on top of the conference standings and hold a three-game lead over second-place East Central. The Bulldogs lead the GAC in scoring offense, averaging 86.8 points per contest. They also lead the conference in steals and have a comfortable lead in turnover margin (+9.50 compared to second place East Central's +3.67). The Bulldogs also lead the league in three-pointers made, averaging 10.5 makes from deep per game. The Bulldogs are led by Hailey Tucker, the current GAC Player of the Week. The senior guard has been named player of the week three times this season as she sits second in the conference in scoring with 19.4 points per game. Tucker is the GAC's all-time leading scorer, the second player in SWOSU history to score more than 2,000 points, and one of two active DII players to score 2,000 points. Tucker also grabs 6.1 rebounds per game, which is the second-most on the team. Bethany Franks leads the GAC in rebounding with 9.4 boards per game. The Bulldogs also have two more players in the top 11 of the GAC scoring charts, with Hayden Priddy sitting sixth with 16.3 points per game and Tyra Aska in eleventh with 14.0 points per game. 

The Rangers from Northwestern Oklahoma State enter this weekend with a 6-13 overall record and a 3-9 mark in the GAC. Northwestern are coming off a pair of home losses to Arkansas Tech and Harding last weekend by a combined 35 points. Northwestern are in the top five in the conference in three-pointers made (4th, 147 made or 7.7 per game), free-throw percentage (5th, 73 percent), three-point percentage (5th, 32.7 percent) and steals (5th, nine per game). The Rangers' top scorer is Kalea King, who is averaging 14.9 points per game, a number that ranks her ninth in the GAC. Teammate Bailey Brown is not far behind, averaging 13.9 points per game and 12th in the conference in scoring. Brown also grabs 6.9 rebounds per game and shoots 48 percent from the field and 87 percent from the free-throw line. 

The Muleriders are 2-16 on the season and 1-11 in the GAC and are coming off a pair of game where they lost to Oklahoma Baptist and Southern Nazarene by a combined 30 points. The Muleriders are led in scoring by Ariana Guinn, who is averaging 10.7 points per game in her freshman season. Junior forward Erin Brinkley is coming off a game in which she recorded her first-career double-double and tied the school record for blocks in a single game with six. Senior Alyssa Crase leads the team in rebounding with 5.7 boards per game. 

After this weekend, the Muleriders will go on the road to take on Henderson State next Thursday before coming home to host Arkansas Tech next Saturday.