MAGNOLIA, Ark. - A Zane Nelson three-point attempt from the top of the key with less than two minutes to play did not beat the shot clock following video review. Nelson's trifecta attempts from the same spot with three seconds to play found nylon and gave Arkansas-Monticello a 67-65 lead, a score that would hold after a last second drive by the Muleriders hit iron, and in the process quieted an otherwise raucous W.T. Watson Center crowd on Thursday night in Great American Conference rivalry action. 
 
Nelson finished with 27 and Isaac Jackson added 25 as to no surprise to anyone familiar with the Weevils in 2024, the pair accounted for all but 15 of the team's scoring output in the victory. CJ Ray Jr. went for a game-high 28 points, Anthony Igiede followed with 17 and Nevi Tell added 11. Igiede delivered nine rebounds and Ray followed with six. Gregory Hammond Jr. added four assists and two blocks. 
 
With Southern Arkansas leading by seven points and the clock winding, the Weevils refused to go away as three-point makes on consecutive UAM possessions sandwiched a smooth jumper by Ray as the Muleriders carried a 64-61 edge into the under-4 media timeout with 3:38 remaining in the game. UAM would close the contest on a 6-1 run with Nelson accounting for five as the Muleriders missed two three-point attempts and four free throws down the stretch. 

The loss moves the Muleriders into a tie for eighth place with Oklahoma Baptist at 7-10. UAM moves into a four-way tie for fourth place. 
 
A pair of trifecta makes each from the stroke of Ray and Igiede prior to the under-12 media timeout of the opening half helped the Muleriders keep step with the Weevils at 18-16 with 10:37 to play. Two possessions after the timeout and following an Igiede bucket, Tell scored inside after driving baseline to even the contest 20-20 at the 9:10 mark of the first half. 
 
Blows were traded over the final eight minutes before the intermission as neither team led by more than three points down the stretch with both relying on the three-point shot to grab leads: a near top of key make by Ray on an assist from Tell that gave SAU a 25-22 lead with 6:58 remaining, a Nelson beyond-the-arc make at the 5:20 mark to match the score at 27-27, an answer from range by Ray that gave SAU a 30-27 advantage at the 4:39 mark of the first half, which was quickly equaled by Isaac Jackson two dozen seconds later and bested by Tell who hammered a wide open look to push SAU up 33-30, before Jackson hit another three-point attempt to give UAM a 35-33 lead as the three-point barrage from both benches momentarily eased. 
 
Ray responded with a driving layup for his 20^th point of the evening to even the score at 35. A drive to the basket by Nelson gave the Weevils the lead momentarily, but Jessie Davis Jr. used his first points of the night to notch the score at 37-all at the break. 
 
The Muleriders shot 50% from the floor and 53.8% from three-point land in the first half powered by Ray's 8-for-12 shooting overall and four makes in six attempts from range. For the game, SAU shot 46.7% and hit 8-for-18 from three-point range but went 1-for-7 from the stripe. 
 
A smooth drive around a screen off of an inbound pass by Igiede opened up scoring for SAU in the second half and ended a 6-0 run to start the final twenty minutes by the Weevils. UAM led 43-39 at the under-16 media, but Southern Arkansas used two flashy baskets by Tell, including one that saw the true freshman local go coast-to-coast, and a hard finish by Igiede as part of a 10-6 run to even the contest at 49 at the ensuing media timeout with ten minutes remaining. 
 
Jaren Harris was assisted inside by Hammond Jr. and then the latter followed with a three-ball corner pocket as the Muleriders used both baskets to take a 56-53 lead before back-to-back makes by Igiede and a drive to the hole by Ray gave the Muleriders a 62-55 advantage as UAM called a timeout, prior to the under-8 media timeout, which was whistled at the 6:01 mark. 
 
The Muleriders will look to avenge an early season defeat to Harding in Searcy as SAU plays host to the Bisons on Saturday in a 5 p.m. tip-off from inside the W.T. Watson Center. Live coverage links are available at www.MuleriderAthletics.com.