ADA, Okla. – Southern Arkansas led for over thirty minutes of game time on Thursday night inside the Kerr Activities Center in Ada, Oklahoma, but it was a late surge by RV/NR East Central in the final four minutes that saw the Tigers edge the Muleriders 64-60 in Great American Conference action. Junior forward Devante Brooks and junior guard Aaron Lucas each scored 17 points and both grabbed seven rebounds for SAU in the loss. The defeat, the Muleriders' third straight and all by less than five points, drops Southern Arkansas to 5-8 overall on the season with a 2-5 mark in league play.
 
The Muleriders' last led at the 3:36 mark of the second half before the Tigers engineered an 11-6 run which included an immediate 5-0 run that helped the host gain the lead and the momentum. Unfortunately, SAU went the final 1:50 of play without a field goal and managed just four points in the final 2:30 of action.
 
Defensively, the Muleriders were solid as they held East Central, which entered with the nation's 11^th-highest scoring offense at 91.7 points per game, to almost 28 points below its nightly average. It is the first time the Tigers have been held under 70 points this season.
 
Despite an off night shooting, just 31.8% from the floor with a 16.7% success rate from three-point range, Southern Arkansas took advantage of ECU turnovers as they turned 16 Tiger miscues into 17 points whereas East Central managed just five points off of nine Mulerider turnovers. It is the first time this season that SAU has committed fewer than ten turnovers.
 
Southern Arkansas concludes its first road swing of the New Year in Durant on Saturday as Southeastern Oklahoma awaits at 3 p.m. from inside Bloomer Sullivan Arena. Live coverage links available at www.MuleriderAthletics.com.