MARYVILLE, Mo. - The stage for the top eight teams in the Central Region is set, the stakes are high and it's time to dance. First-year head coach Logan Quinn's Southern Arkansas Muleriders, making its second NCAA postseason appearance of the past three seasons, face its toughest task to date as consensus top three nationally-ranked and regional host Northwest Missouri begins its national title defense on its home court in Saturday's regional quarterfinal matchup inside Bearcat Arena. Tip-off in the third contest of the day is set for 6 p.m. Live coverage links are available at www.MuleriderAthletics.com.
FIRST MEETING
Southern Arkansas and Northwest Missouri meet on the hardwood for the first time. Since becoming a charter member of the GAC in 2011-12, the Muleriders are 1-3 all-time in the "Show Me State." SAU's lone win during that span came against Missouri S&T at the Drury Thanksgiving Classic in 2019-20. SAU topped the Miners 83-76.
BACK AGAIN IN THE BIG DANCE
2nd appearance
2020-21 | L, 61-83 vs (5) Dallas Baptist
Southern Arkansas returns to the NCAA postseason for the second time in the past three seasons after earning the program's first-ever berth during the 2020-21 campaign. That season, the Muleriders, the fourth seed in the South Central Region, won 12 of its 16 conference games to finish as GAC Eastern Division Champions in addition to reaching the league's tournament title game for the first time. Saturday night's tip-off will be the first for the Muleriders in the Central Region Tournament.
Four players on this year's roster, seniors Kris Wyche, Blake Rogers, Jessie Davis Jr. and Logan Bradley were a part of that first NCAA Tournament appearance against DBU. Rogers scored 18 points with four rebounds and an assist in 34 minutes of work. Wyche grabbed six rebounds.
MULERIDERS IN THE NATIONAL POSTSEASON
9 appearances (8th as 4-year institution) | 2-8
1947-48
vs. McCook (Neb.); L, 46-60
1956-57
vs. Western Illinois; L, 70-101
1965-66
vs. Guilford (N.C.); W, 72-67
vs. Georgia Southern; L, 62-80
1966-67
vs. East Montana; W, 75-62
vs. St. Benedict's (Kan.); L, 56-67
1970-71
vs. Eau Claire (Wisc.); L, 50-66
1982-83
vs. Ft. Hays State (Kan.); L, 65-71
1988-89
vs. Siena Heights (Mich.); L, 70-83
2020-21
vs. Dallas Baptist; L, 61-83
GAC TOURNAMENT BREAK THROUGH
12 appearances | 8-11 | W3; 6-2 since 2020-21
The Muleriders earned the program's highest regular season finish in its 12-year history in the GAC to carry the No. 2 seed into the league's postseason tournament in Shawnee, Oklahoma. Not bad for a team picked preseason No. 9 in mid-October.
As the only team in the conference to earn a tournament berth in each year of the league's history, the Muleriders entered needing to hoist the trophy for the first time in program history in order to extend its season to the big dance. Quinn's bunch did just that.
Southern Arkansas used an 18-point, ten-rebound double double effort from senior forward and all-league performer LaTreavin Black and an 8-0 run over the game's final 1:46 to claim a 71-67 win over (7) Oklahoma Baptist in the quarterfinal round.
Two nights later, graduate guard Brock Schriener took over late, scoring 14 of his 17 second-half points in the final eight minutes as the Muleriders erased a ten-point deficit with less than ten minutes to play to beat (6) Henderson State 84-81.
On Sunday afternoon, it was all Southern Arkansas as the Muleriders and (5) Arkansas Tech met for the third time in the GAC Tournament. Leading by a dozen points at the intermission, the Muleriders used the first five and a half minutes of the half to run its lead up to 23 points on the back of a 15-4 run. SAU kept its foot on the gas as the Wonder Boys would get as close as only 18 points of the lead on two different occasions prior to the under-12 media timeout.
NOTABLE NUMBERS
Southern Arkansas enters its regional quarterfinal matchup as one of the region's top teams in rebounding with its per game average of 37.45 the best among the eight-team field. SAU owns the fourth-highest rebound margin (4.9) in the Central Region, the 33rd-highest nationally and the second-highest among tournament participants. The Muleriders' 12.68 offensive rebounds per game are the second-most in the Central Region and tops among the eight teams set to dance in Maryville.
The Muleriders scored at the GAC's second-highest rate in the regular season and enter the NCAA Tournament averaging 77.7 points per game; fourth-highest among tournament teams. That scoring output comes behind an active effort from beyond-the-arc. Among tournament participants, only Northern State attempts more and makes more three-point shots per game. SAU's 26 shots from deep rate as the fifth-highest average in the Central Region and the squad's 9.4 made threes per night ranks third in the region. SAU is shooting 35.9% from three-point range this season.
The Muleriders have won 22 games for the first time since the 1989-90 campaign and this season has seen head coach Logan Quinn's squad set several single-season program records. Southern Arkansas enters its 32nd game of the season holding the top marks all-time for single season points scored (2,409), field goals made (378), three-pointers made (290) and assists (395).
Gregory Hammond Jr. leads a scoring parade that has five players with double-figure averages as his 12.7 ppg comes behind a 45.8% shooting clip and a 40.3% success rate from three-point range with 56 made three-pointers. Kris Wyche is averaging 10.0 ppg and owns a team-best 42.4% clip from beyond-the-arc with 72 made threes; currently the fifth-most in a single season in program history.
Black's 11.5 ppg joins a team-leading 7.7 rebounds per game and 47 total steals. Carel Ray Jr. follows with 10.6 ppg and the second-best rebounding average at 6.2. Blake Rogers scores at an average of 10.9 ppg and follows Whyce with 59 made triple tries.
Brock Schreiner and Jerry Carraway Jr. pace the team in assists. Schreiner leads with 92 and Carraway sits eleven back of that mark. The efforts by the backcourt this season gives SAU its first pair of teammates with 75 more assists in the same season since CJ Elkins (94) and Aaron Lucas (75) in 2017-18.
Seven players average 21+ minutes per night with three seeing 28+ minutes per night.
WORTHY AWARD WINNERS
Gregory Hammond Jr.
GAC Newcomer of the Year
All-GAC First Team
GAC All-Tournament Team
LaTreavin Black
All-GAC Honorable Mention
GAC All-Tournament Team
Brock Schreiner
GAC Tournament MVP
GAC Distinguished Scholar-Athlete
CSC Academic All-District
Blake Rogers
GAC All-Tournament Team
Logan Bradley
GAC Distinguished Scholar-Athlete
MULERIDER MILESTONES
2/25 | The Muleriders needed ten extra minutes of action to put down Arkansas Tech in the regular season finale in Russellville. Southern Arkansas used the phenomenal late-game play from junior guard Jerry Carraway Jr.; two distinct game-changing drives to the basket, one with under seven seconds remaining in regulation and the other with just over two and a half minutes remaining in the first overtime, resulted in assists on huge three-point buckets and he also drained a triple try from nearby Pottsville to tie the game at 78 with 64 seconds left in the first bonus period to help the Muleriders outlast Arkansas Tech 85-83 in double overtime. The win stood as the 15th league victory which is the most for Southern Arkansas in its NCAA Era and are the most for a Mulerider team since the 1989-90 season. Additionally, the victory was the 19th of the season which matched the single-season wins record in the NCAA Era.
2/9 | They shot 'em and they knocked 'em down. Behind the second-most attempts from three-point range this season, (RV) Southern Arkansas hammered a season-high and program record-tying 16 trifectas with the biggest tickling the twine off the surefire trigger of senior guard Kris Wyche with 23 seconds remaining to give the Muleriders a late lead that they would not relinquish on the road at Southeastern Oklahoma. A relentless second-half effort, marked by a game flow that featured four tied scores and 13 lead changes in the final twenty minutes, and a gritty 21-6 run in the first half to overcome an early 15-point deficit earned SAU a physical 87-84 statement win over the Savage Storm. The 16 made shots from three-point range match the effort by the Muleriders on two other occasions with the most recent coming against Southwestern Oklahoma State on February 2, 2017. The 16 successful triple tries are the most-ever on the road by a Southern Arkansas team.
12/3 - 1/12 | SAU picked up its first league win with a convincing 94-58 home win over Harding on December 3. The Muleriders would win six more contests including five GAC games and an 87-78 home win over Drury to put together its longest winning streak since winning eight games during the 19-win 2018-19 campaign. Of the wins in the streak, one of the most memorable happened on the road in Alva as Carraway Jr. crashed inside on a missed jumper in Southern Arkansas' final offensive possession and his put back bounced around and in with under a second remaining to give the Muleriders a hard-earned 79-78 league win over Northwestern Oklahoma State in a contest which saw nine lead changes.
11/17 | Southern Arkansas took care of business against Arlington Baptist on a Thursday night inside the W.T. Watson Center. The Muleriders won by 25 points, outscored ABU in the paint by 28 points and grabbed 17 more rebounds than the Patriots. SAU also managed to get out in transition scoring 21 fast break points in the win in addition to scoring 25 points off of 20 ABU turnovers. SAU shot 54.5% from the floor for the contest which was highlighted by a 63.3% success rate in the first half. Among all of the statistics from the Muleriders' win in its 2022-23 home opener was the number one. Logan Quinn, one of the youngest head men's basketball coaches in the NCAA regardless of division, earned his first career win. Three and a half months later, Quinn's Muleriders have tallied up 19 wins; the most by a head coach in his first year in the program's post WWII modern era.
10/23 | The Muleriders are tabbed ninth, projected to be the last of four teams to miss the conference's postseason tournament, when the GAC's Preseason Coaches Poll is announced. Much to the dismay of the rest of the league and powered by several highly impactful roster newcomers, the Muleriders largely ignored the expectations of 11 other league head coaches and put together a 28-game regular season that resulted in a tied for second finish; the highest end of regular season standing by the Muleriders in its GAC Era.They didn't stop there. Southern Arkansas was the last team standing in an eight-team tourament that no one picked them to make.
BEARCAT BILLING
The three-time defending national champions need no introduction but they're certainly worthy of one. Winners of four of the past six DII titles, the Bearcats are very familiar with the big stage. The Central Region Road to the Elite Eight runs through Maryville, Missouri for the first time since 2018-19.
Northwest Missouri makes its 23rd NCAA postseason appearance and enters the tournament with an overall winning streak that stretches to 16 games and a home winning streak of 15 games which dates back to last season. Speaking of streaks, the Bearcats make their ninth-straight NCAA appearance and do so having won 17-consecutive NCAA postseason contests and 24 of its past 25.
A consensus top three team nationally, NWMSU employs the nation's top scoring defense (55.8 ppg), the second-best field goal percentage (52.1%) and the third-highest scoring margin (17.8). Additionally, the Bearcats hold top 20 statistical rankings in fewest turnover average (10.5; 15th), turnover margin (3.7; 16th), free throw percentage (77.9%; 18th) and three-point percentage (39.1%; 22nd).
The Bearcats are led in scoring by D2CCA Central Region Player of the Year Diego Bernard who pours in 16.2 ppg behind a 54.2% shooting percentage (182-of-336). Bernard is as good on the other end of the floor as the MIAA Defensive Player of the Year ranks sixth in the country in total steals (70) and 13th in steals per game (2.26) entering NCAA postseason play.
Bernard leads the way for MIAA Coach of the Year Ben McCollum's squad, but the Bearcats benefit from a plethora of talent behind Bernard in a pair of All-MIAA Second Team honorees in junior Wes Dreamer and freshman Bennett Stirtz.
Dreamer's three-point percentage of 41.6% is a top 40 mark nationally and came behind 74 total makes from three in 178 attempts at 2.64 makes per game. Dreamer is also the top defensive rebounder for the Bearcats grabbing 4.64 per game.
Stirtz, the MIAA Freshman of the Year, led the league in shooting percentage with a marksman effort of 58.9% (126-of-214). Stirtz leads the team at the free throw stripe shooting 85%. He can facilitate as well, posting an MIAA-best assist-to-turnover ratio of 2.26. His 106 assists at 3.3 pg trail Bernard's 110 assists at 3.35 pg.
TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE
Saturday, March 11 - Quarterfinal Round
Noon | (3) Central Oklahoma vs. (6) Minnesota Duluth
2:15 p.m. | (2) Northern State vs. (7) Emporia State
6 p.m. | (1) Northwest Missouri vs. (8) Southern Arkansas
8:15 p.m. | (4) MSU Moorhead vs. (5) Southern Nazarene
Sunday, March 12 - Semifinal Round
5 p.m. | Winner of Game 1 vs. Winner of Game 2
7:30 p.m. | Winner of Game 3 vs. Winner of Game 4
Tuesday, March 14 - Regional Championship
7 p.m. | Winner of Game 5 vs. Winner of Game 6
THE FIELD
*Half of the regional field is featured in the top ten of the Massey Ratings entering NCAA postseason play.
*The Muleriders have previously matched up against two of the eight teams this season. SAU's Great American Conference foe Southern Nazarene won twice over the Muleriders in well-played contests by both sides. SAU opened the season at Minnesota Duluth, the region's No. 6 seed. The Bulldogs pulled away in the second half.
*Northern State and the Muleriders are not quite strangers. The Wolves beat the Muleriders 78-69 in last season's Central Region Tip-off Challenge in Kansas City.
*Central Oklahoma, the region's No. 3, is responsible for one of the Bearcat's two losses this season. Of NWMSU's seven losses in the past two seasons, the Bronchos have two and Emporia State has earned three.
*The only meeting between the Muleriders and MSU Moorhead took place in Lancaster, Texas at the season-opening GAC-NSIC Challenge in November of 2017. SAU won 87-72.
*Like NWMSU, the Muleriders have no previous series history with Central Oklahoma and Emporia State.
