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ARKADELPHIA, Ark. – After finding victory in the first conference game of the 2021-22 season, Henderson State heads south to Magnolia, Arkansas, for its first road conference game of the season when it takes on the Southern Arkansas Muleriders in the W.T. Watson Athletic Center at 1 p.m.
 
REDDIES REPORT
The Reddies saw their largest margin of victory since 2019 when they defeated Arkansas-Monticello on Thursday, 75-39, led by Gracie Raby's 14 points and Karrington Whaley's 13-point, 11-rebound double-double. 39 points is the fewest points scored on Henderson State in head coach Jill Thomas' nine years at the helm.
 
Henderson's defense completely shut down the Blossoms, forcing 20 turnovers and holding them to a 21.3 field-goal percentage on 13-61 shooting, including 9.09% in the second quarter, and 7.7% from beyond-the-arc (1-13). Ashley Farrar led the defensive effort with four steals in addition to contributing 13 points and six rebounds.
 
Coming into this season, Raby had not put together three straight games of double-digit scoring. On Thursday, Raby logged her fifth consecutive contest of double-digit scoring on the season. The Mount Vernon, Arkansas, native is averaging 12.3 points per game and is giving the Reddies some terrific scoring depth behind Farrar and her 17.7 ppg.
 
On the season, HSU is scoring 78.7 points per game while holding its opponents to 61.3 points per game. Henderson is also forcing 18 turnovers a contest while only giving up the ball just over 10 times per outing. Where the Reddies are really distancing themselves is from the three-point line, where they are shooting 35.3% compared to their opponents' 28.8 percentage.
 
Henderson leads the all-time series against Southern Arkansas, 14-8, including winning seven of the last eight matchups and four of the last five in Magnolia. Despite the recent success, HSU's last three wins over SAU were each by single digits. So far this season, the Reddies have had two games decided by single digits, both of which they have won.    
 
SCOUTING SOUTHERN ARKANSAS
Through the first four games, SAU was off to its best start since head coach Adam Collins took over four years ago at 4-1. Now 4-2, the Muleriders are coming off their second loss of the season, barely falling to Harding, 93-90. Both Ariana Guinn and Kisi Young registered 18 points in the effort.
 
A high-scoring game can be expected on Saturday afternoon as the Muleriders are sporting one of the best offenses in the GAC, averaging 88 points per game while still allowing 81 points per game. Southern Arkansas has allowed over 90 points twice through six games this season.
 
Including this season, SAU has only lost eight home games since the 2019-20 season and are 1-0 inside the W.T. Watson Athletic Center this year. In last year's two home contests against nationally ranked Arkansas Tech, the Muleriders lost each contest by only eight or fewer points.  
 
What To Watch For…
-Henderson State has lost three of its last four road conference-openers. A win on Saturday would give HSU its first win in a road conference-opener since 2018. That win in '18 came in Magnolia against Southern Arkansas.
 
-A win on Saturday would move the Reddies to 6-1 and 2-0 on GAC play, marking the third time in four years HSU would have started out 6-1 overall and 2-0 in conference. Prior to the 2018-19 season, HSU had not seen a start like that since Thomas took over as head coach in 2013.