MAGNOLIA, Ark. – The Southern Arkansas Mulerider Men's Basketball team hits the road to Oklahoma for the first time in 2020 where two of the Great American Conference's best teams await. The Muleriders, who dropped a pair of games last weekend at home, head to Ada for a Thursday night tilt with second-place RV/NR East Central (10-2, 4-2 GAC) at 7:30 p.m. from inside the Kerr Activities Center. On Saturday, SAU matches up with third-place NR/RV Southeastern Oklahoma (10-3, 4-2 GAC) in a 3 p.m. tipoff inside the Bloomer Sullivan Arena. Live coverage links will be available at www.MuleriderAthletics.com.
 
The Muleriders are 5-7 overall with a 2-4 mark in league play which places them in a tie with Southwestern Oklahoma for ninth place. Through 12 games, three players hold double-figure scoring averages with all three ranking in the top 25 of the GAC in scoring. Junior forward Devante Brooks' 14.4 points per game (12^th) paces the team. Brooks' 9.2 rebounds per game is the top mark in the Great American Conference, while his 4.5 offensive rebounds per game rank third nationally.
 
Junior guard Aaron Lucas follows with 13.6 points per game (15^th) with a team-leading 45 assists, while sophomore combo Jalen Brooks averages 11.5 points per game (25^th) and 8.3 rebounds per outing. Jalen ranks fourth in the league in rebounding and with his 3.2 offensive rebounds per game, the Muleriders rank 12^th in Division II in the category behind the Brooks Brothers' collective 7.7 offensive rebounds per game.  
 
Lucas and junior guard Trey Davis have combined for 43 steals this season and rank 8^th and 9^th respectively in per game average in the GAC. Lucas holds additional top ten marks in assists per game (3.5) and minutes played (32.8), while Davis' 45.5% (15-of-33) clip from three-point range ranks fourth in the GAC.
 
Wins against the Tigers and Savage Storm would go a long way in getting the Muleriders back on track, but it won't come easy as both teams are averaging over 82 points per game with the Tigers' 91.7 points per game leading the conference and ranking 11^th nationally. Statistically, East Central is scattered throughout multiple categories nationally ranking in the top 25 in Division II in three-point field goal percentage defense (3^rd), field goal percentage (10^th), free throws made (20^th), and defensive rebounds per game (22^nd).
 
The Tigers' Camron Talley ranks fifth nationally in points per game at 25.7 and his 4.3 three-point makes per game rank second in Division II. Josh Apple is the team's top rebounder ranking second in the GAC in the category with 8.7 boards per game.
 
Like East Central, Southeastern Oklahoma ranks in the top 25 nationally in a handful of statistical categories including assist-to-turnover ratio (6^th), free-throw percentage (11^th), fewest fouls (15^th), and total assists (20^th).
 
SOSU's Adam Dworsky is the nation's leader in assists per game at 9.2 and total assists with 120. Kevin Buckingham ranks 14^th nationally in field goals made with 111 and his 21.6 points per game ranks 30^th in Division II. From beyond the arc, Kayo Goncalves ranks fourth nationally in three-point field goal percentage knocking down over 52% of his attempts. His 48 makes this season ranks 14^th in Division II.
 
Following their first trek into the Sooner State, the Muleriders will host GAC-leading Arkansas-Monticello on Thursday, January 16.