Freshman’s shot at the buzzer lifts Muleriders

SAU plays again Saturday

SAU Sports Information

ALVA, Okla. – Southern Arkansas redshirt freshman CJ Elkins hit a three-pointer as time expired to break a 56-all tie and give SAU a hard-fought 59-56 win on the road over Northwestern Oklahoma on Thursday night inside the Percefull Fieldhouse in Alva.

Just seconds prior to Elkins' game-winning heroics, Northwestern (6-12, 6-8 GAC) had tied the game up at 56-all. That tied juncture was the 11th tie score of the game and Elkins' subsequent trifecta represented the 11th lead change of the contest as the two teams battled back and forth throughout the GAC matchup.

In fact, the largest lead for either team in the game was 10 points, and it was done by the Muleriders (11-9, 8-6 GAC) at the 1:19 mark of the first half. SAU would not hold that double-digit lead for long, however as a made free throw by NWOSU with five seconds left in the half sent the Muleriders to the locker room with a nine-point lead, 32-23.

Coming out of the break, Northwestern went on a 9-2 run over the first three minutes of the second half to pull to within two points, 34-32, at the 17:01 mark. At the 11:49 mark, Northwestern grabbed their first lead since midway in the first half as Zach Dumas hit a pair of free throws.

Over the next three and a half minutes of the game, the lead would change hands four times with the final of that back and forth exchange going in favor of Northwestern. The Rangers would hold a slim lead over the next three and a half minutes, but a 6-0 run by SAU vaulted the Muleriders to a four-point lead, 52-48, with 3:09 left to play.

The first field goal of that SAU run was a dunk by Elkins. He would follow that up with a fastbreak dunk seconds later and Jaron Davis capped the run with a layup.

A made jumper by NWOSU's Austin Klug at the two-minute mark cut the SAU lead in half, but a pair of clutch free throws by Elkins extended the advantage back out to four points, 54-50, with 1:37 remaining in the game. Over the next minute or so of game time, Northwestern would knot the game at 54-all with 43 seconds on the clock.

The Muleriders would answer back with just under 30 seconds left and regained a two-point lead on jumper in the paint by Davis. On Northwestern's ensuing possession, the Rangers would knot the score once more, but Elkins' aforementioned game-winning three-pointer followed for the Muleriders.

Statistically, the Muleriders would have two players score in double figures with Deon Andrews and Elkins both leading the way with 16 points. On the boards, the Muleriders as a team would out-rebound Northwestern, 46-38. Helping the Muleriders dominate the glass were the rebounding efforts of Tony Aska and Denarious Lockhart as the two each pulled down 10 boards. Andrews and De'Sean Dockery would also help clean the glass as they each hauled in seven rebounds.

The Muleriders will now travel to Weatherford, Okla. for a Saturday matinee with Southwestern Oklahoma. Tip-off is sset for 2 p.m.

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