MAGNOLIA, Ark. – Southern Arkansas Mulerider Men's Basketball will put a six-game win streak, of which five are against Great American Conference opposition, and an unbeaten 5-0 record at home on the line this weekend beginning with a Thursday night affair against East Central (7-5, 2-4 GAC) from inside the W.T. Watson Center. Tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m. The league matchup is the first of three straight at home for the Muleriders who are set to play in Magnolia for the first time in 2023. Southern Arkansas will host Southeastern Oklahoma (6-5, 3-3 GAC) on Saturday at 3 p.m. and will meet Henderson State (7-5, 4-2 GAC) for the second time this season on Thursday, January 19 at 7:30 p.m. Live coverage links are available at www.MuleriderAthletics.com.
 
Recently, SAU (9-3, 5-1 GAC) checked in at No. 10 in the Week 8 rankings of the D2SIDA Central Region Top 10. The six-game win streak is currently the second-longest active streak in the league behind league-leading Southern Nazarene (10-2, 6-0 GAC) which has won eight straight and is unbeaten in league play.
 
Entering the second weekend of the new year, the Muleriders hold top ten rankings in a pair of national statistical categories. SAU is ninth in offensive rebounds per game at 14.17 and is currently tenth in rebounding margin at +9.8. Both of those marks lead the GAC as do the team's rebounding average of 39.83. The Muleriders boast the second-highest scoring offense in the league at 80.6 ppg and its +11.2 scoring margin ranks second as well.
 
During the squad's six-game winning streak, Southern Arkansas owns a scoring margin of +13.7 and is averaging 82.7 ppg. SAU is shooting 48.6% from the floor and has knocked down just over 44% of its triple tries in the last six games. The Muleriders are at +9.5 in rebounding margin during the streak.
 
Four players are averaging 12.0 ppg or more during the six-game run led by Gregory Hammond Jr.'s 13.8 ppg. Kris Wyche follows with 13.2 ppg and Carel Ray Jr. is averaging 12.3 ppg off the bench and leads the team with a rebounding average of 7.7. Blake Rogers rounds out the double-figure scoring at 12.0 ppg. All four players are shooting better than 44% from three-point range.
 
LaTreavin Black is one of two players with a 9.0 ppg average, is second in rebounding per game at 7.3 and leads the team with a dozen steals. Brock Schreiner and Jerry Carraway Jr. have combined for 34 of the team's 75 assists. Seven players are averaging 22 or more minutes per game over the past six games.
 
Since the 2017-18 season, the Muleriders are 58-11 overall at home inside the W.T. Watson Center and during that span, which encompasses their last 62 GAC home games SAU stands at 48-14 during that time frame. Southern Arkansas has welcomed an Oklahoma GAC opponent into Magnolia 25 times since the start of the 2017-18 season and is 17-8 against Sooner State opposition at home.
 
Southern Arkansas has won its last four against the Tigers in Magnolia and has won three straight at home against the Savage Storm.
 
East Central is averaging 74.6 ppg and is +10 in scoring margin. The Tigers are shooing a league-best 49.5% from the floor and are defending at a league-best 39.9% which includes a 28.1% three-point field goal percentage defense (8^th nationally). Three players are scoring in double figures led by Keyon Thompson's 15.6 ppg which ranks sixth in the GAC. For a statistical rundown of the Tigers, visit www.ecutigers.com/sports/mens-basketball/stats/2022-23.
 
Southeastern Oklahoma State enters with a league-high scoring rate of 87.0 ppg (14^th nationally), but owns a scoring margin at just +4.5. The Savage Storm are shooting 47.4% from the floor, while allowing a league-high 48% from opponent shooters. The team's 113 made three-pointers are the most in the GAC this season. Four players are scoring in double figures led by Jett Sternberger's 19.8 ppg which is the third-highest scoring average in the conference. For a statistical rundown of the Savage Storm, visit www.gosoutheastern.com/sports/mens-basketball/stats/2022-23.