MAGNOLIA, Ark. – Great American Conference play has arrived as Mulerider Women's Basketball looks to start paving its way to the league tournament in March of 2025. Southern Arkansas is to begin the conference competition just an hour north of where Head Coach Darrick Matthews arrived from in Chickasha, Oklahoma, as the Muleriders travel to Bethany, Oklahoma to match up with Southern Nazarene at 5:30 PM on Thursday and then move on to Shawnee to face Oklahoma Baptist at 1:00 PM on Saturday. The Blue and Gold come right off a bounce-back victory against Dallas Christian College following the unit's first loss of the season against Delta State.
 
Southern Nazarene (4-3 | 1-0 GAC)
>>> Southern Nazarene added two new faces to their coaching staff for the 2024-25 season including assistant coaches Jenni Holbrook and Evan Johnson. Holbrook spent her last 8 years as a Head Coach at Jones High School and Johnson is a Graduate Assistant Coach at Olivet Nazarene. The Crimson Storm's top-scoring player from last year, Lauryn Reither, returned to the team as a Graduate Assistant coach.
>>> Last year the Crimson Storm made their way through the NCAA Central Region Tournament bracket and finished as runner-ups. After claiming victories against Henderson State and Harding they faced Minnesota State University, Mankato in the final and lost 48-80.
>>> SNU welcomed back 12 returners and added 7 newcomers to the 2024-25 season.
>>> Graduate Student Hannah Giddey is leading the team in scoring as she has contributed 110 points so far this season.
 
Oklahoma Baptist (4-2 | 0-0 GAC)
>>> The Bisons welcomed four newcomers and 11 returners to their team for the 2024-25 season. OBU is returning several key players including Jaedyn Getman who led the team in points per game last season with a 17.5 average, totaling 507 points and finishing second in the GAC.
>>> Graduate Student Mackenzie Crusoe is the team's current leader in points per game averaging 17.5 with a total of 105 points.
>>> In the GAC Preseason Poll the Bisons were picked to tie for third place just like last year's poll.
>>> The Bisons are 4-2 so far this season recording wins against Nelson University, Northeastern State, Midwestern State, and Texas A&M - Kingsville.
>>> The last time the two teams saw each other was in Shawnee, Oklahoma last season. The Muleriders claimed the victory 60-51 after a tough battle to the end.
 
Muleriders in the GAC
>>> Southern Arkansas became a member of the Great American Conference (GAC) back in 2011 when the league was established. The Muleriders competed in the Gulf South Conference (1995-2011) before they became a part of the GAC.
>>> This is the first time since the 2017-18 season that the Muleriders will start league play against Oklahoma schools.
>>> Southern Arkansas Women's Basketball has made five appearances in the Great American Conference Tournament since being a part of the league.
>>> The team's best GAC performance was during the 2015-16 season when they reached the second round of the GAC Tournament. SAU topped #5 Henderson State in the first round 80-71 before dropping to #1 Arkansas Tech 85-99.
>>> Since joining the Great American Conference two Muleriders have earned an All-GAC First Team selection, three players have earned an All-GAC Second Team selection, and six have earned an Honorable Mention. Sue Key and Chanel Miller are highlighting the All-GAC honors as they both earned GAC Newcomer of the Year in 2017-18 and 2013-14 respectively.
 
Shining Bright
>>> Marlee Bright has come out on top during the start of her junior season and is currently leading the team in assists per game (7 per game, 42 total) and steals per game (4.83 per game, 29 total).
>>> The Amity, Arkansas native is placed within the nation's Top 11 in five different categories and is leading the conference in four.
>>> Highlighting Bright's rankings is being second in the nation in steals per game with a value of 4.83. Her steals per game also make her the conference leader in that category. She has collected a total of 29 steals over the 6 games which puts her as fifth in the nation and first in the conference on total steals.
>>> Bright ranks sixth in the nation with her assists per game as she averages 7.0 per game, and ninth in the nation for her total assists of 42. She leads the conference in both categories.
>>> She is also ranked 11th in the nation for her assist/turnover ratio with a value of 3.23.