MAGNOLIA, Ark. — Mulerider Women's Basketball (12-16 | 8-14 GAC) has wrapped up its 2025-26 campaign, but not on a low note, as the Blue and Gold defeated their in-state rivals inside the W.T. Watson Center. Southern Arkansas came out on top against the Arkansas Tech Golden Suns (18-8 | 14-8 GAC) with a down-to-the-wire 74-72 victory over the group from Russellville. With the win, Head Coach Darrick Matthews has now moved on to 4-0 against Arkansas Tech, and has recorded the longest win streak against the Golden Suns to date.
The top header for the Muleriders in their final outing of the year was the group's lone senior honored on Senior Day, Marlee Bright. The native of Glenwood, Arkansas broke atop the record books two more times in today's matchup, as Bright went on to set the program record for career assists (380), and the single-season steals record (92).
Southern Arkansas had four Muleriders in double figures, with Marlee Bright and Kennedy Moss leading the way with each recording 16 points. Bright shot a strong 77.7% from the floor (7-for-9). Also scoring in the double digits was Kadia Ward and Shiloh Fletcher, both with ten.
After going down 16-9 in just over five into the game, the Muleriders began to mount their comeback, as Southern Arkansas then outscored the Golden Suns 9-0 to take the lead at 18-16. Following that, ATU tied the bout back up at 18-18 with a layup, but the Blue and Gold then went on to score the next eight, going up 26-18. After an Arkansas Tech three pointer, SAU's Krista Rivers put the group back up seven with two free throws at the end of the first period.
The Golden Suns climbed right back into the contest with a 12-4 run, giving Arkansas Tech a 33-32 advantage. The group then went back up five, 37-32, but the Muleriders stormed back with a 6-0 stretch to reclaim the lead, 38-37. In the last two minutes, only three more points were added with a layup from ATU and a made free throw by Rivers, with a 39-39 score at half.
The two groups went on to trade blows in the third period until the last five minutes of thee period, as the Muleriders went up six with a with a 6-0 stretch, going up 55-49. The Golden Suns began to crawl back into the contest after scoring the next four points, with the score at 55-53 going into the fourth period.
While Arkansas Tech bounced back at the end of the last period, the Blue and Gold went on another 6-0 stretch, to go up 61-53. The Golden Suns slowly began to inch closer and closer to a one score game with SAU, as they eventually did at 67-66 with 2:37 to go. A one-point deficit was all that Arkansas Tech to bring themselves to, as the Muleriders went on to claim victory at 74-72.
