RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. – An Andy Sharpe-led Mulerider Men's Basketball squad had never played a Great American Conference regular season game on back-to-back nights, but (RV) Southern Arkansas bookended its altered travel plans to central Arkansas by knocking down clutch free throws in the final 15 seconds to go along with a stout defensive effort in a 61-58 win over Arkansas Tech on Saturday night inside Tucker Coliseum.
 
Senior forward Devante Brooks stepped to the free throw line with 15 seconds remaining and knocked down two key free throws as SAU took a brief 59-56 lead. ATU answered with a quick bucket to pull within one, but a pressure inbound by sophomore guard Dodge Brown coming off of a timeout put the ball in junior guard Blake Rogers' hands. Rogers hit both of his attempts with four seconds to play and the Muleriders (10-3, 9-3 GAC) held through a respectable look from ATU to tie the game to win 61-58.
 
Before his two free throws in the final seconds that pushed the SAU lead back to three points, Rogers converted an old fashioned three-point play at the 1:32 mark which pushed SAU out front 57-53.
 
After an 80% effort from the charity stripe on Friday night in Searcy, the Muleriders backed off that effort slightly on Saturday as they finished at 65% for the night. However, Southern Arkansas connected on their final seven attempts of the evening beginning with a pair from senior guard Aaron Lucas with 6:05 to play which gave the Muleriders a 48-41 lead.
 
The contest featured six lead changes and six tied scores with five of those ties coming in the second half following a 27-27 score at the intermission. It marked the fourth time this season that the Muleriders have not allowed an opponent to reach the 60-point mark and that came as a result of SAU allowing just six makes from three-point range for the Wonder Boys. Tech shot 37.7% from the floor and made just 52% of their free throw attempts.
 
Lucas led all scorers with 17 points and added three assists and three rebounds. Junior guard Jalen Brooks did not leave the court as he recorded his fourth double-double of the season with 14 points and 11 rebounds in addition to two assists, two blocks and a steal. Rogers also added 14 points on 3-of-5 from beyond the arc. SAU shot 40% (10-for-25) from three-point range and outrebounded the Wonder Boys 44-33.
 
SAU stares down the final five games of the regular season as seeding for the league tournament is yet to be decided among all six teams of the GAC's Eastern Division.
 
The Muleriders have an opportunity to do something the program has never done as a result of the divisional scheduling due to the ongoing pandemic. Southern Arkansas will welcome in Henderson State on Thursday, February 18 for a 7:30 p.m. tip-off from inside the W.T. Watson Center and will look for its fourth win over the Reddies this season. SAU owns an 83-77 home win over HSU in the season opener, a slim 68-66 victory against the Reddies in Magnolia on January 23 and a 73-68 decision in Arkadelphia on February 6. Live coverage links are available at www.MuleriderAthletics.com.