ΜΑGNOLIA, Ark. - Mulerider Women's Basketball is back with their first contest of 2025 as they take on the Harding Bisons inside the W.T. Watson Athletic Center on Saturday (Jan 4th). The Muleriders are looking to improve their 7-4 overall record in the Great American Conference matchup against the Bisons. 
 
Southern Arkansas has proved to use the home court advantage well with an overall record at home in Magnolia of 3-1. Going into the first game of this year, SAU is looking to bounce back from the previous game where they dropped a narrow contest to Henderson State 67-70. On Saturday the Muleriders aim to continue showcasing their strong defense against the league's leading group in scoring offense. 
 
The Muleriders have displayed a patient offense with Addy Tremie leading the team in scoring with 143 points scored and an average of 13.0 points per game. Crystal Ortiz is follows Tremie with 133 total points and an average of 12.1 points per game. In three-point shooting, Tremie has been a standout performer leading the team with 26 made threes on 71 attempts across 11 games, averaging 2.4 three-pointers per game with a .366 shooting percentage. Chloe Wilbanks has been the most efficient shooter from deep, hitting 12 of 28 attempts for a .429 percentage, averaging 1.1 makes per game. Riley Stanford adds another reliable option, connecting 11 of 19 attempts for a .379 percentage, averaging 1.0 make per game. 
 
On the boards, Elena Lijo-Rodriguez has been dominant and is leading the team with 79 rebounds over 11 games, averaging 7.2 rebounds per game. She has grabbed 24 offensive rebounds (2.2 per game) and 55 defensive rebounds (5.0 per game). Ortiz has also been a key contributor collecting 63 rebounds for an average of 5.7 per game. Marlee Bright stands out as a leader in steals for the Muleriders. Across the 11 games played she has recorded an impressive 41 steals, averaging 3.7 steals per game. Bright's average and total lead the conference as well as rank inside the top ten of the nation.  
 
Harding (9-2 overall | 5-0 GAC) 
The preseason GAC favorites are 9-2 overall in the 2024-25 season and are undefeated in conference play so far. Last time out in December, the Bisons topped Ouachita Baptist comfortably 72-51. The last time the SAU and Harding saw each other was in February last year when the Bisons walked away as the winners with a final score of 80-67. 
 
Harding's Sage Hawley is leading her team in scoring as she has collected 205 points while averaging 18.6 points per game. Second in the scoring category is Aubrey Isbell with 136 total points while averaging 13.6 points per game. Hawley is also dominating the boards with 114 total rebounds with an average of 10.4 rebounds per game. Josie Williams has also been a key contributor with her 14 total steals and an average of 1.3 steals per game. 
 
The Bisons have demonstrated a strong performance this season as reflected in their 9-2 overall score and 5-0 GAC record. Offensively they average 75.4 points per game, significantly outscoring their opponents' 59.3 points per game for a dominant margin of 16.1 points. They boast an impressive .430 field goal percentage and their free-throw shooting stands out at .791. On the boards, Harding dominates with 469 total rebounds, averaging 42.6 per game. Additionally, the team has distributed 118 assists and limits their turnovers while maintaining their high level of efficiency. 
 
The tip-off is set for 3:00 PM on Saturday (Jan 4th) inside the W.T. Watson Athletic Center.