ΜΑGNOLIA, Ark. – The start of a new year in the same season. The Mulerider Men prepare to recollect themselves after the holiday break that they entered after nearly pulling off a 15-point comeback against Henderson State in Arkadelphia on December 19, 2024. Southern Arkansas fell just shy of the revolt as the group was down 52-67 with just under ten minutes to go. A 15-2 stretch by the Muleriders closed the gap to two points (67-69) before a back-and-forth battle took place that saw the Reddies escape with a final of 76-79.
 
After their last outing, the Muleriders moved to 4-7 on the season and 1-4 in the Great American Conference. Now is the time to show what your group is truly made of as Southern Arkansas looks to make its case for the Great American Conference Tournament in March.
 
In terms of scoring, the Blue and Gold are near the middle of the league as they rank sixth in the GAC for their scoring offense with an average of 79.3 points per game and seventh in the conference for scoring defense with an average of 74.7 points allowed per game. The team's scoring margin sits inside the top half of the league with a margin of 4.5.
 
The Muleriders are leading the league in a few statistical categories such as blocks per game with 3.4, offensive rebounds per game with 14.27, and three-point attempts per game with 29.2.
 
BJ Davis, Anthony Igiede, and Christian Caldwell all rank in the top ten of the conference in their own respective statistics. Davis has shot the second-most three-pointers (77) while also making the fourth-most three-pointers in the league as well (29). Igiede ranks sixth in both total steals and steals per game with 19 total and 1.73 spg. Caldwell is the fourth-best in the conference for offensive rebounds per game with 2.64. He is also seventh in the GAC for his total rebounds per game with 6.5.
 
Harding (7-4 | 3-2 GAC)
 
The Bisons have been impressive thus far in the campaign as Harding is 7-4 overall and holds a 3-2 record within the league. The Bisons began the conference season in Weatherford, Oklahoma where they were defeated by SWOSU 67-81 before winning three straight against league opponents (NWOSU, UAM, HSU). Most recently, Harding fell to Ouachita Baptist while at home by a final of 84-96.
 
The Bisons' offense has been strong all season as the group is third in the league for scoring with 82.6 points per game. The Harding defense however has been towards the bottom of the GAC, averaging 80.6 points allowed per game and ranking tenth in the league.
 
Offensively, Harding has been very efficient as the group is second in the league for effective field goal percentage (.569 | 23^rd nationally), free throw percentage (80.3 | 8^th nationally), free throws made per game (16.3), and three-point percentage (38%). The Bisons are also the GAC-leaders for three-pointers made per game, averaging 9.8 per contest.
 
Rylie Marshall has led the group in scoring this season but is just one of four members who average 10 points or more this season for the Bisons. An overall threat to their opponents has been Keyin McBride. The junior from Jonesboro, Arkansas has been averaging 14.8 points per game while also ranking inside the top ten of the league's leaders for assists/turnover ratio (4.33 | 1^st GAC | 4^th nationally), assists (52 | 3^rd GAC), assists per game (4.7 per game | 4^th GAC), free throw percentage (90.9% | 2^nd GAC | 22^nd nationally), free throws made (40 | 8^th GAC), steals (25 | 2^nd GAC), steals per game 2.27 per game | 2^nd GAC), three-pointers per game 2.27 per game | 7^th GAC), and three-pointers made (25 | 6^th GAC).
 
Tip-off for the Muleriders versus the Bisons will begin at 5:00 PM on Saturday (Jan. 4) inside the W.T. Watson Center.