MAGNOLIA, Ark. - Yesterday's work won't pay today's bills. Last year's successes won't win this year's games. The slate is clean and the roster has a new look for Southern Arkansas Men's Basketball as year two is set to begin under head coach Logan Quinn. The Muleriders are in Kansas City, Missouri for a pair of in-region games against opposition from the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference. SAU opens the 2023-24 season on Friday night at 5 p.m. against (RV) Minnesota State and will take on Winona State on Saturday in a primetime 7 p.m. start. Live coverage links are available at www.MuleriderAthletics.com. 

'RIDER REWIND: ONE FINAL LOOK BACK
>>> The Muleriders went 22-10 overall, an NCAA ERA Program record for single season wins, and 15-7 in Great American Conference play, an NCAA Record for league wins in a single season. 
>>> SAU's tied for second place finish in the GAC Regular season standings is its highest in league history. 
>>> Behind the dominant play of Tournament MVP Brock Schreiner, the Muleriders laid claim to the program's first ever GAC Tournament Title by cruising past Arkansas tech by twenty points after winning its first two tournament games by a combined seven.
>>> The Muleriders became just the ninth team in program history to advance to the national postseason.
>>>Latreavin Black, Gregory Hammond Jr. and Blake Rogers joined Schreiner on the All-Tournament Team.
>>> Hammond Jr. was Named GAC Newcomer of the Year and a first-team selection. Black was named All-GAC honorable Mention. Schreiner and Logan Bradley were named GAC distinguished Scholar-Athletes. 
>>> The Muleriders earned a shot at northwest Missouri in the regional quarterfinals and battled the Nationally-prominent Bearcats early on before the host pulled away in the second half. 
>>> A 32-game season saw the Muleriders set single season program records in points scored (2,478), field goals made (902), three-pointers made (297) and assists (403).
>>> SAU led the GAC in just one statistical category last season, but its one that has helped define the program's growing mentality over the last decade. The Muleriders' 12.62 offensive rebounds per game were the top mark among league opponents and SAU ranked second in rebound margin and rebounds per game and fourth in defensive rebounds per game. A relentless effort on the glass coupled with stout defensive approach to defend all areas of the floor, especially on the perimeter, is the program's M.O.

ROSTER BREAKDOWN
>>> A junior-heavy squad with deep length at the guard position, the Muleriders are a diverse roster of 15 with eight states represented and a solid mixture of high school, junior college and four-year transfers.

'23-24 SLATE BREAKDOWN
>>> Southern Arkansas opens up its season at a regional crossover for the eighth time of the past nine seasons with the only non-crossover coming in the COVID spring of 2021.
>>> In such games since 2015-16, the Muleriders are 4-10 and have lost their last six albeit against some of the top competition out of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference.
>>> The Muleriders will play half of their ten games before the new year at home beginning with a November 16 home opener against Arlington Baptist.
>>> Highlighting the home non-conference slate is a thanksgiving week clash with Angelo State which entered the '23-24 season ranked #19 in the country.
>>> SAU plays just four times in December with a matchup with Ouachita on the 9th the lone home game.
>>> Five of SAU's final eight games of the regular season are at home. 
>>> Since the first year of GAC action in 2011-12, SAU holds a 117-45 record at home with six seasons of 10+ wins.
>>> SAU enters the season having won its last 14 home non-conference matchups with the '23-24 schedule featuring three such meetings.

TWICE AS NICE?
>>> Head coach Logan Quinn enters year two leading the Mulerider Men's Basketball program. 
>>> A memorable season started with a personal milestone as the former Mulerider assistant earned his first career win in game No. 3: a 90-65 victory over Arlington Baptist in the '22-23 home opener.
>>> Quinn became fifth different head coach in program history to lead the Muleriders to the national postseason. 
>>> Quinn brought in nine new faces before his first year with nearly every one having a significant impact. 
>>> One year later and the roster boasts 11 new players as just two players that saw time for the Muleriders in 2022-23 return.
>>> Quinn has seen the departure of two assistant coaches since the program's march run came to a close last spring.
>>>Joining Quinn just prior to year two is Kalvin Lewis who comes to Magnolia From Schreiner University.
>>> A standout performer as a player at Missouri Baptist as well as a college teammate of Quinn's, Lewis brings eight years of coaching experience to SAU including time overseas.

THE NEW STANDARD
>>> It's not nearly as much of a roster turnover as it is a roster refreshing. That refreshing is part of the new standard for the men's basketball program as year-in and year-out, highly -impactful transfers along with top prep talent from around the region blanket the roster. 
>>> Eleven new Muleriders highlight the changes to the roster in 2023-24. Seven new guards including five transfers will aid in reestablishing southern Arkansas' back court. Jaren Harris (Casper College), Jay Barnes (Jones College), Joe Holloway (Southwest Mississippi CC), Mohamed Traore (Franklin Pierce) and Cedric Garrett (Northwestern State) provide a ton of experienced depth at the top of the offense.
>>> Natural state prep standouts Nevi Tell (Magnolia) and Zac Pennington (Lake Hamilton) are added to the experienced fold.
>>> Already with a redshirt season under their belt, guards Anthony Igiede and Donavhn Sanford will expand into larger roles for SAU in year two.
>>> All-league standout Gregory Hammond Jr. and Carel Ray Jr. are joined inside by a pair of bossier parish signees in D'Marcus hall and Christian Caldwell as well as ed Kornbacher (Liberty Magnet HS) and Micah Lena (Seminole State).

NEW FACES, TRADING PLACES
>>> Of the 11 new faces, eight enter with collegiate playing experience under the belt.
>>> Jaren Harris played in 58 games with 30 starts and shot over 45% from the floor in two seasons at Casper College.
>>> Jay Barnes started his career at Mississippi Valley State before playing in 28 games last season for Jones college where he averaged 35.3 minutes and 11.3 ppg. 
>>> Joe Holloway shot nearly 44% from three-point range and was a 76.3% FT shooter last season at Southwest Mississippi CC.
>>> Mohamed Traore, a DII transfer, saw action in 60 games over three seasons for the ravens. He started in all but one of those 60 knocking down 139 3pt shots, while scoring just under 800 points.
>>> D'Marcus Hall, an all-academic player at BPCC, averaged 11.5 and 5.0 last season in 22 games played. 
>>> His inside counterpart, Christian Caldwell, played in 82 games over three seasons at BPCC with 70 starts where he shot 55.3% from the floor.
>>> Micah Lena, the lone sooner state product on the squad, was efficient from the floor over a 33-game season at Seminole state in 2022-23. He shot 56.6% and averaged a double double of 14.5 points and 12.6 rebounds per game.
>>> Cedric Garrett played in 55 games over two seasons at Northwestern state where totaled 822 minutes, 277 points, 131 rebounds, 51 assists, 32 steals and 16 blocks.
>>> Three new youngsters are new to the fold. Mulerider fans should be very familiar with two of the prep signees and will soon come to know the third. 
>>> Magnolia's Nevi Tell and Lake Hamilton's Zac Pennington were both multiple-time All-state selections and AHSCA All-Star game participants. Pennington is a legacy hooper with his mother and father both enjoying standout Hardwood careers for Southern Arkansas. 
>>> Ed Kornbacher, a towering, bit very athletic 6-8 big man, carved out an impressive high school career in Baton Rouge. 

NEWCOMER NO MORE
>>> Gregory Hammond Jr. Impacted Immediately in 2022-23 to earn GAC Newcomer of the Year honors.
>>> The New Orleans Native scored in double figures twenty times with six games of 20 or more points with three doubles and five or more rebounds in a game 22 times.
>>> Against Northwest Missouri in the Regional Quarters, Hammond went for 20 points on 50% shooting with seven rebounds.

CAREL CAN
>>> Carel Ray Jr. returns for Southern Arkansas after a do-it-all type campaign in year one for Quinn.
>>> Ray averaged 10.5 ppg and 6.2 rebounds scoring over double figures in 18 games with seven or more rebounds in 14 games.
>>> Ray also recorded 28 assists, 24 steals and is the top returning FT shooter at 79.1%.

SOUTHERN ARKANSAS BY THE NUMBERS
1,548- The number of minutes of the 6,450 total minutes played by Southern Arkansas last season that are returning for head coach Logan Quinn in year two. Gregory Hammond Jr. averaged the fifth-most minutes on the team last season at 26.7 and Carel Ray Jr. added 21.7 minutes per game. Additionally, of the 160 possible starts last season, Hammond Jr.'s 31 are the lone returning.
22- The number of wins by first-year head coach Logan Quinn; the most by a rookie head coach in the program's post WWII modern era. The most wins by any head coach in his first two seasons over that time period is 29 by Brad Daugherty over the course of the 1998-99 and 1999-00 seasons. The win total for the Muleriders was an NCAA Division II era record and the most since the 1989-90 season.
16- The number of successful triple tries by the Muleriders in a key road victory at Southeastern Oklahoma in early February 2023. Its the most makes from beyond-the-arc for a Southern Arkansas team on the road and it matched the single game record which had been done twice before.
12.62- The offensive rebounds average grabbed by Southern Arkansas during the 2022-23 season. That mark led the GAC and ranked 26th nationally. Within the Central Region, the statistic was the second-highest among the 42-team region trailing only Lincoln (Mo.) Which averaged 12.85 per game.
8- The number of Great American Conference teams picked ahead of Southern Arkansas in last season's preseason coaches poll. Powered by several highly impactful newcomers, the Muleriders finished the 28-game regular season with its highest finish ever in the league's regular season standings at tied for second and then proceeded to run the table for its first-ever GAC Tourney Title.
3- The number of Muleriders that recorded 190+ rebounds last season marking the first time in the program's GAC membership that a trio of players reached that mark in the same season. Departed graduated Latreavin Black led the squad with 242 rebounds at the second-best board-clearing rate in the GAC at 7.6. Carel Ray Jr. followed with 199 and Hammond Jr. added 197.
2- The number of NCAA Tournament appearances for Southern Arkansas over the past three seasons. SAU earned berths to the big dance in 2020-21 and 2022-23. The Muleriders matched up with Dallas Baptist in the opening round of the '22 south central region tournament and faced perennial power Northwest Missouri in last season's central region tournament. 

MAVERICKS MEMO
>>> Senior guard Malik Willingham has been named as Minnesota State's Player to Watch after he was named a '22-23 All-NSIC First Team Selection after leading MSU in scoring with 485 points (12th NSIC) and assists with 104 (9th NSIC) while ranking sixth in the league in assists per game (4.0). Willingham averaged 18.7 points (8th NSIC) and 5.2 rebounds per game. 
>>> The Mavericks return seven additional letter winners including juniors Kyreese Willingham and Harrison Braudis. Willingham joined the starting five in all 29 games last spring with an average of 13.2 points and a team-leading 6.3 rebounds per game. Braudis averaged 10.8 points per game .
>>> The Mavericks ranked first in the NSIC in rebounds per game (38.24 | 40th nationally), second in offensive and defensive rebounds (11.10/75th nationally | 27.14/38th nationally), fourth in free throw attempts (17.2), three-point attempts per game (25.0 | 55th nationally), and three-point percentage defensively (33.5), and fifth in blocks per game (3.2), field goal percentage defensively (43.6), and free throws made per game (12.5).

WARRIORS RUNDOWN
>>> The Warriors ranked second in the NSIC in turnovers per game with 8.7 (2nd nationally) and in scoring defense at 68.9% (70th nationally).
>>> WSU's defensive field goal percentage ranked third in the league as they allowed 43.2%. They were also third in turnover margin at 2.0 (52nd nationally).  
>>> Junior Connor Dillon, an All-NSIC selection in 2022-23, has been named the Warriors' Player to Watch by the NSIC after he led the team with 35.54 minutes per game (2nd NSIC | 28th nationally), 18.7 points per game (7th NSIC | 53rd nationally), 62 three pointers made (11th NSIC), 207 three-point attempts (4th NSIC | 40th nationally), 2.30 three pointers per game (10th NSIC), 190 field goals (9th NSIC | 68th nationally), and field goal attempts with 456 (5th NSIC | 21st nationally).  
>>> Declan Dillon remains the Warriors top distributor as he led the team with 87 assists (11th NSIC) and 3.5 assists per game (10th NSIC).  
>>> Graduated senior Owen King led the Warriors in assist/turnover ratio with 4.67 (1st NSIC | 2nd nationally). King also ranked third in the NSIC in steals per game with 1.48.