SPRINGFIELD, Mo. - A 23-point, 11-rebound double double from senior guard Carel Ray Jr. and three other Muleriders in double-figure scoring was nearly enough on Tuesday afternoon in the Show Me State, but host Drury did just enough to hold off Southern Arkansas, in a non-conference tilt that featured eight tied scores and 14 lead changes, to win 72-68. 

Both squads went inside for 32 points, but it was the Panthers that scored 28 points off of 18 Mulerider turnovers. Both sides struggled from beyond-the-arc with each making six shots and SAU doing so in 26 attempts; four more than the Panthers. 

Ray added three blocks and two steals to his stat ledger. Anthony Igiede scored a dozen points with seven rebounds and was perfect from the stripe making all six of his attempts as SAU went 14-of-17 at the line. Gregory Hammond Jr. and Mohamed Traore each added ten points. 

The Muleriders held a pair of five-point leads prior to the under-12 media timeout of the first half on off-glass, paint buckets by Jaren Harris and Ray. The largest lead for either squad was four points from Drury in a 34-30 advantage in the final forty seconds of the opening twenty. 

In the second half, SAU carried a pair of four-point leads early, Drury grew its lead to as much as a dozen points with less than four minutes to play, but the Muleriders rallied with a 13-5 run to pull within 69-65 with 44 seconds remaining. The Panthers scored inside to go up six points, but Ray hammered a clutch three in the final thirty ticks to set up a potential tying possession after a Nevi Tell steal. 

With under 15 seconds, SAU turned it over and the Panthers made one of two from the line in the final moments. 

Southern Arkansas heads into the winter break 4-6 overall and is set to resume Great American Conference play on Thursday, January 4 at 7:30 p.m. against Southwestern Oklahoma State. Live coverage links are available at www.MuleriderAthletics.com.