MAGNOLIA, Ark. – Southern Arkansas (9-9 | 4-8) is back in action inside the W.T. Watson Center for the final week of January as the Muleriders look to face two of the Great American Conference's top-three teams in Oklahoma Baptist (13-5 | 9-3) and Southern Nazarene (13-5 | 10-2). Tip-offs for both games are scheduled for 5:30 PM against the Bison on Thursday and 1:00 PM against the Crimson Storm on Saturday.
 
Series History vs. OBU
The Bison currently hold a 7-10 lead in the series history with Southern Arkansas as well as a 2-3 advantage in the last five meetings. The two programs first met on January 7, 2016, which saw the Bison claim victory against the Muleriders 81-89. Their most recent matchup came in December of the fall semester, which ended in a Bison win, 57-64.
 
Series History vs. Southern Nazarene
The Crimson Storm has run the series against the Muleriders up to this point as SNU leads Southern Arkansas 5-19 all-time dating back to their first meeting on January 12, 2013. In that first meeting, SAU was defeated 66-86 and would gain its first victory against the Crimson Storm in the 2014-15 campaign. In this season's first contest between the two, SNU finished as victors against the Muleriders in a defensive bout, 50-61.
 
A Look at SAU
The Muleriders are coming off a split weekend in which the unit defeated their foes in the Timberlands, Arkansas-Monticello, 68-66 in an intense overtime contest that was capped off with a Chloe Wilbanks layup for her 24^th point of the night. On Saturday against the Reddies, Southern Arkansas came up short of what was required after falling to HSU 68-75.
 
Leading the way in scoring for Southern Arkansas is now Tequaza Chambers as the senior has crossed the 200-point mark (208) and is averaging 11.6 points per game. Chambers is coming off a week in which she put up 44 points over two games after making 17-35 (48.6%). Still leading in boards and blocking is the junior out of A Coruna, Spain, Elena Lijo-Rodriguez. The Spanish native has recorded 112 rebounds (6.2 rpg) and 33 blocks (1.83 bpg | 3^rd GAC).
 
A Look at OBU
In the last meeting between the Bison and the Muleriders, neither team secured a legitimate advantage until Southern Arkansas seemed to have done so in the third period as the group obtained the lead after three periods at 44-42.
 
OBU flipped a switch in the fourth as the Bison outscored SAU 13-22 and claimed victory at 57-64. For the rematch, the Muleriders look to keep their tournament hopes alive.
 
The Bison have been superior to many others in depth and the paint defensively as the group is first in the league for their bench points per game (30.1 | 11th DII) and blocks per game (4.6 | 11th DII). Not only has the group been a good defensive team on the inside, but on the offensive side, OBU has been one of the best from three-point range averaging 9.6 shots made from the range per game (1st GAC | 4th DII).
 
Mackenzie Crusoe has been the backbone of this Oklahoma Baptist squad as the graduate student from Choctaw, Oklahoma is averaging 16.8 points per game (3rd GAC) and has the conference's second-most free throws made with 78.
 
A Look at SNU
The last time out against the Crimson Storm, the Muleriders stuck with the preseason number two team as SAU kept the contest to a defensive battle, allowing just 61 points to Southern Nazarene. The Crimson Storm claimed victory 50-61 due to their early lead
 
Only one more team in the GAC has averaged fewer points allowed than Southern Arkansas and that has been Southern Nazarene. SNU has averaged just 55.3 points allowed per game, which ranks 21st in DII. The unit is also the conference's top team for defensive field goal percentage as they have surrendered just 35.5% defensively thus far.
 
The back-to-back GAC Defensive Player of the Year Hannah Giddey returns to the W.T. Watson Center for one final time as the graduate student has yet to fall in Magnolia, Arkansas.
 
Ranking second in the league for steals behind Marlee Bright is SNU's Katie King who has accounted for 40 steals and averages 2.22 per game.
 
Broadcast Details:
You can watch all the action through the Mulerider Athletics YouTube channel or follow the live stats at MuleriderAthletics.com.
 
Next Up:
SAU will embark on a four-game road trip over the next two weeks kicked off with a rematch against East Central University in Ada, Oklahoma on February 6th followed by a rematch with Southeastern Oklahoma State in Durant, Oklahoma on February 8th.