MAGNOLIA, Ark. – January rolls on in Division II college hoops and the Great American Conference slate returns back to in-state matchups as Southern Arkansas prepares for a Thursday night home matchup with Henderson State (7:30 p.m.) and a Saturday evening tilt in Searcy against Harding (7:30 p.m.). Live coverage links are available at www.MuleriderAthletics.com.

The Muleriders (10-4, 6-2 GAC) enter the weekend in a three-way tie with Arkansas Tech and Oklahoma Baptist for second place in the league standings; one-game back of GAC-leading Southern Nazarene. For the second-straight week, SAU checked in at No. 10 in the D2SIDA Central Region Top 10.

Southern Arkansas' successes this season have come in large part to its ability to grab extra possessions on the glass. The Muleriders lead the GAC and rank in the top 15 nationally in offensive rebounding per game (13.86) and rebounding margin (+8.6). LaTreavin Black's 106 rebounds rank third in the GAC and Carel Ray Jr.'s 101 follows in fourth. Ray Jr.'s 5.5 defensive rebounds per game ranks third in the league, while Black's 7.6 total rebounds rank third and his 3.0 offensive boards are currently second.

SAU boasts the second-best scoring offense (79.2 ppg) and scoring margin (+9.5) in the GAC. Gregory Hammond Jr. leads the team in scoring at 12.4 ppg. Blake Rogers follows with 11.3 ppg and Ray Jr.'s 10.6 ppg rounds out double-figure scoring. Black averages 9.9 ppg and 7.6 rebounds per game and owns the top shooting percentage on the team at 50.8% among players with ten or more starts. Kris Wyche and Brock Schreiner are both shooting well from deep. Wyche leads with 29 makes at 41.4%, while Schreiner is shooting 47.8% from range. Schreiner and Jerry Carraway Jr. have combined for 78 assists and 33 steals this season. Black leads with 25 steals and Hammond Jr.'s 13 blocks are a team-high.

In order to keep pace among the top of the mid-January standings, Southern Arkansas will be tasked with downing Henderson State (7-7, 4-4 GAC) inside the W.T. Watson Center and then topping Harding (5-9, 1-7 GAC) on the road in an always tough environment inside Rhodes Reaves Fieldhouse.

SAU has lost three-straight games against the Reddies including the teams' first meeting earlier this season: a 75-67 decision in Arkadelphia on December 1. Wyche led the Muleriders with 15 points with Black and Hammond Jr. each delivering 13 points and seven rebounds with a combined five steals, four blocks and four assists. SAU led by a bucket at the break, but HSU outscored the visitors by ten to win the league opener for both.

HSU leads the GAC in turnovers forced per game at 12.6. The Reddies are right on the heels of the Muleriders in terms of rebounding prowess ranking in the top three in offensive, defensive, total and margin in the GAC. Tomislav Miholjcic ranks fifth in the league in offensive rebounding at 2.5 per game. Alvin Miles ranks in the GAC's top three in assists, assists average and assist-to-turnover ratio. Henderson State is scoring at a rate of 70 ppg with a scoring margin of +2.4.

The Muleriders have won nine-consecutive matchups against the Bisons which includes four wins in Searcy. SAU bested Harding 94-58 on December 3 in Magnolia. Hammond Jr.'s 23 points led all scorers in the win, while four other Muleriders logged double figures in scoring behind a team shooting rate of 56.1% and a 50% trigger from three-point range. Both shooting marks are the second-best such percentages by SAU in a game this season.

Harding has committed the fewest fouls per game in the GAC this season at 14.9. The Bisons distribute and protect the basketball well ranking in the league's top three as a team in assists, assists per game and assist-to-turnover ratio. Taylor Currie leads the GAC in blocks, double-doubles, field goals made, points scored, rebounds, rebounding average, offensive rebounds and defensive rebounds.