MAGNOLIA, Ark – Southern Arkansas continues the prolonged road trip as they take off out west to play at #23/NR Northwestern Oklahoma State (Alva, Okla.) on Thursday at 5:30 p.m. The Muleriders will then head south to contest against the Southwestern Oklahoma State Bulldogs (Weatherford, Okla.) on Saturday at 11:00 a.m. Live coverage links will be provided on www.MuleriderAthletics.com/coverage
 
#23/NR NORTHWESTERN OKLAHOMA STATE (17-3 | 9-3 GAC)
>>> Northwestern Oklahoma State enters its rematch with the Muleriders having won back-to-back contests with a total 4-2 record since visiting Southern Arkansas at the beginning of 2024. Overall this season, the Lady Rangers have accounted for a 17-3 record whilst being 9-3 among Great American Conference competition.
>>> The last matchup between these two squads was incredibly tight down to the last second. While neither team produced incredibly impressive numbers offensively, NWOSU's defense prevailed for them in front of a rambunctious Southern Arkansas crowd as they held the Muleriders off to 53 points while only scoring 57 of their own.
>>> Leading the Lady Rangers on January 6 in scoring was 4x GAC Women's Player of the Week, Faith Simpson as she accounted for 25 points (11-17) with 14 rebounds (4 OREB | 10 DREB) with four assists, two steals, and a block. Assisting Simpson in scoring was Camille Thomas with a 20-point game (8-12) whilst also recording seven rebounds (1 OREB | 6 DREB), two assists, and a steal.
>>> Of their 57 total points against the Muleriders, 44 of them came from within the paint as the Lady Rangers only accounted for nine three-point attempts with just two knocking down for NWOSU.
 
SOUTHWESTERN OKLAHOMA STATE (10-8 | 7-5 GAC)
>>> Since their journey to Columbia County on January 4, the Bulldogs have accounted for four wins with three losses moving their record to 10-8 overall while being 7-5 within the conference. Southwestern Oklahoma State has recorded wins against teams such as Arkansas-Monticello (74-69), Ouachita Baptist (66-55), Arkansas Tech (55-48), and Oklahoma Baptist (63-61).
>>> The previous outing between the Bulldogs and the Muleriders saw a Southern Arkansas victory by a score of 88-55 as Collins' team scored their most points in a Great American Conference matchup this season. SAU outscored Southwestern Oklahoma State in nearly every period but the third for its largest triumph over a league opponent in the campaign.
>>> Leading SWOSU in scoring that evening was Mason Jones with her 14 points. Jones also recorded three assists and a rebound for the Bulldogs. Averi Zinn and Lanie Gooch each accounted for double-digit scoring contests along with Jones. Gooch was also responsible for ten boards against the Muleriders for a double-double while nearly recording a triple-double as she accounted for seven steals as well.
 
START THE MONTH RIGHT
>>> In the Muleriders 12th season being a part of the Great American Conference, this will be their 12th February affiliated with the league. Southern Arkansas enters February 2024 with a 9-15 record for the first two contest of the month since joining the conference in 2011-12.
>>> Head coach Adam Collins enters his sixth Great American Conference February with an even 5-5 record whilst entering the month.
>>> With the speed bump that the Muleriders have momentarily rolled into, Southern Arkansas looks to keep from adding anymore losses into the right-handed column.
>>> Southern Arkansas has dropped four consecutive ball games for the second occasion this season. The last time SAU was coming off a four-game losing streak, they defeated Southwestern Oklahoma State 88-55 and played the Lady Rangers of NWOSU down to the wire.
 
BRINGING DOWN THE RANKED
>>> Southern Arkansas prepares for its third matchup against a ranked opponent as they have fell once to then #19 Northwestern Oklahoma State and then #5/2 Southern Nazarene.
>>> The Muleriders look to have, including this one, three more ranked opponents (#11/12 Harding & #5/1 Southern Nazarene) left on the schedule.
>>> In both contests against ranked foes, Southern Arkansas has yet crossed the 60-point mark due to the variable of the three-point shot not going in favor of the Muleriders. Against the Lady Rangers in early January, SAU shot for 20% (8-40) from three-point range. Against the Crimson Storm, the 'Riders shot for 46.2%, but only off of 13 attempts (made six).
In neither competition was Southern Arkansas outrebounded significantly. Against NWOSU, SAU recorded 33 rebounds to the Lady Rangers' 36. Against SNU, the Muleriders accounted for 31 rebounds to the Storm's 28.
 
THE FINAL STRETCH
>>> As the Muleriders come down to the last ten ballgames of their season, Southern Arkansas seeks a path to Shawnee, Oklahoma for their second consecutive Great American Conference Tournament appearance.
>>> Currently if the season were to end today, SAU would be the team on the outside looking in at ninth-place behind Oklahoma Baptist and Ouachita Baptist who are tied for seventh at 5-7. Both OBU and OUA remain on the Muleriders schedule as road games after having dropped each contest inside the W.T. Watson Center by five points each.
>>> The Tigers look to play against the Crimson Storm to open week 11, which would then be followed by a face-off against the Bison out of Shawnee for a Saturday matchup.
>>> The Bison will begin week 11 in Arkadelphia, but with Henderson State to start. As stated, OBU will compete against OUA on the Saturday following.
 
THREE-POINT GAME
>>> Over the last four games, Southern Arkansas has recorded a three-point percentage of .329 while allowing opponents to shoot for .409. The player to have showed out the most from range for SAU has been Chloe Wilbanks as she has accounted for six of her ten attempts to be made. Addy Tremie has made five of her last 15 shots from three-point range, Riley Stanford has made five of her last 11 from the distance, and Diamond Morris has made four of her last eight shot from beyond the arc.
 
ALL FOUR QUARTERS
>>> In the last four games, the Muleriders have outscored their opponents in the final period of play 75-70. With the first through the third quarters, Southern Arkansas has been outscored by ten or more points. Against OBU and UAM, SAU has shown late bursts to get themselves back with the game after being down big to each team.
 
MAKE FOULS COUNT
>>> The Muleriders ranks fourth in the GAC in free throw attempts per game as they average 20.33 trips to the line per contest. In the last four competitions, Southern Arkansas has made 38 of its 63 attempts from the charity stripe (.603) while opponents have only attempted 44 shots and made 39 (.886).