Box Score

Melvin Haynes scored a game-high 21 points to lead Henderson State to a 78-67 win over Southern Arkansas Saturday at the Duke Wells Center in Arkadelphia, Ark.

The Reddies turned in a strong offensive performance, while the defense forced 15 turnovers resulting in 22 points.

Henderson State built a 37-26 halftime lead as the Reddies ended the first half on a 13-4 run sparked by a pair of 3-point field goals by Denzel Lyles.

Southern Arkansas, 10-16 overall and 6-14 in the GAC, managed to get within 5 points of the Reddies in the second half, but Henderson quickly pushed its lead back to 11 with the help of a pair of free throws by Peri James, and layups by Lyles and Joe McCoy.

Henderson led by double-digits the final 12 minutes of the game, extending its lead to as many as 15 points on several occasions.

Haynes was 6-for-11 from 3-point range while grabbing four rebounds and dishing out three assists.

McCoy and Lyles had 14 points each, while Andrew Ensley recorded his eighth double-double of the season scoring 11 points and pulling down 10 boards.

The Reddies shot 53 percent for the game (28-of-53) including 64 percent in the second half (14-of-22).

Southern Arkansas ended the game shooting 46 percent, converting on 26-of-57 attempts from the floor.  

Henderson State improved to 14-12 overall and 9-11 in Great American Conference play. The Reddies will be the seventh-seed in next week's GAC Tournament in Bartlesville, Okla. and will face Arkansas Tech with tipoff set for 2:30 p.m.