MAGNOLIA, Ark – The Muleriders, coming off a lop-sided victory over Ouachita Baptist Thursday night, re-entered the W.T. Watson Center for Senior Day where Gregory Hammond Jr. and Cedric Garrett were honored for their time spent at Southern Arkansas and their college careers.
 
SAU faced off with in-state rival Arkansas Tech for the final occasion of the regular season and saw four Muleriders exceed double-digit scoring against the Wonder Boys. ATU managed to come out on top against Southern Arkansas after a huge first half. The Wonder Boys grabbed win number 22 by a final of 94-83.
 
The senior Garrett led the Muleriders in the scoring efforts as he attempted to keep his team in the contest with a 22-point game. This marks the Houston, Texas native's second outing of the campaign in which he scored 20+ points. Garrett achieved this after making 8-16 from the field in which he made six of those from beyond the arc off of 11 attempts. The Lone Star native also accounted for four rebounds and an assist in his final game inside the W.T. Watson Center. For his career at Southern Arkansas so far, he accounted for 172 points, 40.13% field percentage, 38.78% three-point percentage, 66 boards, and 16 assists.
 
Hammond Jr. finished his W.T. Watson Center finale with 13 points, four rebounds, and three steals. The native of the Mardi Gras City wrapped up his time playing in Magnolia, Arkansas with 271 points, 39.6 field percentage, 33.6 three-point percentage, 63.9% from the charity stripe, 155 rebounds, 49 assists, 22 steals, and 21 blocks. In his first year as a Mulerider, Hammond Jr. earned the title of Great American Conference Newcomer of the Year and has at least one ring to his name as a 2022-23 GAC champion.
 
The Wonder Boys controlled the first half from the very beginning as Arkansas Tech jumped out to a 21-3 lead in the first six minutes of action. Garrett's first three-pointer sparked some life into the Muleriders to make it a 21-6 ballgame, but GAC player of the year candidate Taelon Peter was able to keep the momentum in Tech's favor with a dunk just a couple possessions later. Southern Arkansas managed to keep some life in their squad as they were able to stay in the contest for the next six minutes with an 12-11 series. The Wonder Boys did not fret as they continued to answer the Muleriders comeback efforts with their own buckets. ATU created an advantage to as much as 19 (43-24) and then closed out the half with a 4-6 run to enter the intermission up 47-30.
 
The second half boded much more in favor of the Muleriders as they outscored the Wonder Boys 53-47, but due to the first half could not get over the deficit. Southern Arkansas was able to cut down the lead to as little as eight points following a 20-point advantage for Tech. SAU was shortly met back with more offensive power from Arkansas Tech. Since the eight-point deficit, the Wonder Boys went on an 18-15 run to clinch the two seed in the Great American Conference Tournament.
 
Southern Arkansas is finished inside the W.T. Watson Center, but not the season as they have punched their ticket to FireLake Arena located in Shawnee, Oklahoma for the GAC Tournament where they are entering in as the eight seed and are set to matchup with the one seed Southeastern Oklahoma State on Thursday at 5:45 p.m. For more information on upcoming events, check out www.MuleriderAthletics.com