MAGNOLIA, Ark. - Southern Arkansas Women's basketball recorded their largest win of the 2023 portion of the season with a 15-point victory over Southeastern Oklahoma State University inside the W.T. Watson center on Saturday afternoon. The 74-59 win improves the Muleriders to 2-6 in conference as they serve Southeastern with their 6th loss of the season.

Senior Mychala Linzy led team scoring with 15 points to record her fifth straight double-digit scoring game. Senior Diamond Morris (12) and Jessica Jones (10) recorded double-digit scoring as well while the couple additionally recorded six rebounds each to lead the Mulerider clan.

Seven Riders recorded multiple threes including Linzy who shot 5 threes at a 50% shooting clip. Jones, Morris and senior Kylie Warren recorded 3 each while freshman Kylie Minter, junior Addy Tremie and freshman Riley Stanford recorded 2 to contribute to the team 44.4% team shooting clip from three, matching a season-high from November 12 against Lincoln (MO). The 21 threes represent the 6^th game with 16 or more made threes and 4^th with 20 or more this season, and was a single three shy of the program record (22) set earlier in the season on December 17 against Arkansas Tech.

SAU more than cut their turnovers from the previous game on Thursday in half, only allowing 13 versus Thursday's 28 while forcing 15 turnovers from the visiting Savage Storm. The Muleriders per usual took advantage of their bench strength and put up 34 points off the bench versus Southeastern's five.

Southern Arkansas fell behind 5-0 in the first four minutes of play inside the W.T. Watson Center on Saturday afternoon before they went on a 7-2 run to tie the game at 7-7. Both Linzy and freshman Sisi Reese sunk threes to help the Riders close the gap the Savage Storm had forced. The teams gave it their all in the final three of the first ten minutes as the Muleriders gained an eight point lead that SEOSU cut to a single point as they finished out the quarter with a 7-0 run.

The Muleriders held the Savage Storm to a measly 8 points in the second quarter while they improved on their first quarter scoring efforts and recorded 23 points. Seven of the eight shots made by the Muleriders in the second half were threes that included two each from Linzy and Jones. The Muleriders already held a 13-point lead over the visiting Savage Storm but Jessica Jones decided to leave SEOSU with one final reminder of just who they were dealing with. Jones brought the ball up the court and launched an absolute rocket from just inside half court to drain her second three of the half to gain a 16 point lead, their largest of the game.

The Muleriders saw a shooting clip of 45.8% from three in the first half while they held Southeastern to 11%, allowing just one shot from three. SAU made sure to take advantage of the 10 turnovers they forced, seeing 14 points from turnovers in the first 20 minutes of play. Linzy led Mulerider scoring in the first half, going 3-5 from three to record a team-leading nine points.

SAU led by a game high 22 points in the third quarter after they sunk three threes in the first three minutes of the second half before Southeastern would us the final five minutes of the quarter to close the gap to 14 points to enter the final quarter trailing 57-42. The Muleriders focused on the strengths in the third, making six baskets in the quarter that all came in the form of a three.

Both teams put up 17 points a piece in the fourth as the Muleriders capitalized on their strength from three once again four baskets from beyond the arc. The Muleriders and Savage Storm failed to put up a single point in the final two and a half minutes of play to conclude the game 74-59.

Southern Arkansas will continue GAC play at home Thursday, January 19 against Henderson. Tipoff is scheduled for 5:30 pm. Live coverage links are available at www.MuleriderAthletics.com.