MAGNOLIA, Ark. — Head Coach Darrick Matthews and his Muleriders looked to acquire a huge bounce back victory after dropping their GAC opener against Southern Nazarene on Thursday. Southern Arkansas did just that, as the Muleriders got their get back with a 62-58 win over the Oklahoma Baptist Bison (5-3 | 1-1 GAC) inside the W.T. Watson Center for the group's first win within the Great American Conference this season. 

Moving to 5-3 overall (1-1 GAC), the Muleriders were led in scoring by freshman Blythe Crawley, as the Oklahoma City native accounted for 15 points, after going 5-for-14 from the field and was 5-for-6 from the charity stripe. Crawley also aided on the defensive side of the ball with her four rebonds and a game-high three steals. Second on the team in scoring for the Muleriders, and leading the group in rebounds, was Kadia Ward with 11 points after leading the group in free throws (6-for-7) and making one of the two three-pointers by SAU on the day. Ward also led the Blue and Gold in rebounds after recording six boards for the outing, as well as two steals. Two Muleriders in third for scoring was Marlee Bright and Elena Lijo-Rodriguez, as the two seniors both tallied nine points with each recording three steals and three rebounds. 

Overall in the outing, the Muleriders dominated in the paint, outscoring the Bison 34-22, on their way to the group's second-straight win over OBU for the first time since 2/29/2020 to 1/20/2022. 

The Blue and Gold began the scoring in the outing with a Lijo-Rodriguez layup, but would be quickly surpassed by the Bison with a 5-0 stretch, 5-2. After another two points by the Spaniard, and a three-pointer drained by KD Ward, the Muleriders reclaimed the lead at 7-5. OBU tied the match at 7-7, but was then followed by a 6-0 Mulerider stretch, 13-7. SAU managed to add on four more points in the opening period to Oklahoma Baptist's there more, all off of free throws, capping off another strong first period for the Muleriders. 

SAU opened up the next period scoring with a Shiloh Fletcher layup off of a Hope Bump steal, 19-10, but was followed by an OBU surge of eight points unanswered, 19-18. The two groups went back and forth for a few points, getting to 23-23, but the Bison claimed their first lead since the 5:55 mark in the first quarter, 25-23. Ward tied the match back up wt 25-25 with a layup, but was quickly answered with an OBU shot made beyond the arc to go up 28-25. The Muleriders would get back within one point multiple times, before the Bison gained as much as a four-point lead, 33-29, before KD earned three free throws on a drawn foul from the corner, 33-32 at half. 

For the first time of the game, the Bison began the scoring to start a period, as OBU recorded two more points with a layup, 35-32. The next six points scored in the game all came from the charity stripe, with the Muleriders accounting for five of those free throws, and taking a 37-36 advantage. After a layup from OBU, the Muleriders countered with a couple of buckets by Blythe Crawley, with a layup having a made free throw tagged onto the end of it. The Blue and Gold then gained a six-point lead with a Marlee Bright layup, 44-38. To cap off the third period, the two squads tied in scoring with three points each, ending the period 47-41. 

For the third period of four, the Muleriders began the scoring, and again it was Shiloh Fletcher, but from beyond the arc to go up 50-41. OBU scored three of their own with a layup and-one, 50-44, while also adding on another two free throws, 50-46. Kennedy Moss then went to the line for two free throws for the Blue and Gold, 52-46, but was countered back with two more free throws for the Bison, 52-48. While the Bison kept trying to reclaim the lead, the group was unable to as the Muleriders gained their seven-point lead back and finished off the performance up four, 62-58. 

Up Next:

The Muleriders next matchup will be an exhibition in Jonesboro, Arkansas, as the Muleriders will take on the Arkansas State Red Wolves on Tuesday, December 9. The group's next official contest will be on December 15 in Russellville, Arkansas, as the Muleriders will take on Arkansas Tech.