MAGNOLIA, Ark.- The Southern Arkansas University Muleriders (7-10, 4-7) defeated the University of Arkansas Monticello Boll Weevils (4-13, 1-10) by a final score of 76-63 in the W.T. Watson Center behind Anthony Igiede's first double-double of the season and 19 points from BJ Davis.
 
The Muleriders came out hot to start the night as Anthony Igiede opened up the scoring with an early triple to put SAU on top. UAM would battle back scoring four points to take a 4-3 lead. The Muleriders would not let it last long as Anthony Igiede scored six consecutive points for the Muleriders followed by a Christian Caldwell tip-in to go on an 8-0 run opening their lead to 12-4. UAM would pull within five but back-to-back made triples from Marcus Rogers and Anthony Igiede would open up an 11-point SAU lead with 12:35 to go in the first half.
 
The Boll Weevils would not go away quietly as they would attempt to chip away at the lead but the SAU offense proved to be too potent taking a 14-point lead with 5:31 to go in the first half, 34-20. The Muleriders would continue to pour on the points before halftime despite UAM's best effort to keep the SAU offense at bay and the Blue and Gold would take a six-point 39-33 lead into the half.
 
Anthony Igiede would lead the team in points going into the locker room with 15 points while scoring the first 10 points of the game for the Muleriders.
 
The Boll Weevils would come out of halftime showing some early life closing the deficit to four points but yet again the Mulerider's offense would respond opening up a 10-point lead with 16:33 to go in the second half, 47-37. The offensive onslaught from SAU would continue as they held a 61-51 lead over UAM with 10:14 to go.
 
The Muleriders would then take their largest lead of the night with 2:28 remaining opening up a 20-point lead thanks to a BJ Davis jumper giving him 19 points in the game. UAM would eventually close the gap to 13 but the Mulerider's offense proved to be too much to handle in the dominant win over the Boll Weevils which saw five SAU players record a double-digit scoring night.
 
Players of the game:
BJ Davis: 19 points (team lead), five rebounds, five assists (team lead)
Anthony Igiede: 17 points and 10 rebounds (team lead) (first double-double of season)
Christian Caldwell: 12 points and six rebounds
Carel Ray Jr.: 10 points and two rebounds
Rashad Bishop: 10 points and three rebounds
 
Next Up:
The Muleriders will be back in action Saturday, January 25th at the W.T. Watson Center in Magnolia, Arkansas as they look to continue their momentum against the Henderson State University Reddies. Tip-off is set for 3:00 P.M. CT.