For the first time since 2007, Henderson State will play in conference tournament semi-final game as the Reddies face Southern Arkansas, Saturday in the Great American Conference Tournament in Bartlesville, Okla. with tip-off set for Noon.
 
The Reddies opened the GAC Tournament with a 65-61 upset of No. 3 seed Arkansas-Monticello, while No. 7th-seed Southern Arkansas knocked off the No. 2 seed Southwestern Oklahoma 63-59. 


In the regular-season, Henderson State won both games against the Muleriders including an 83-68 on Jan. 21 in Arkadelphia, while closing out the regular-season on March 1 with a 59-43 win in Magnolia.
 
Henderson State, 13-16 on the season, averages 72.9 points per game as is shooting 46 percent from the field.

Deoirvay Johnson leads Henderson State in scoring averaging 12.7 points per game including shooting 46 percent from beyond the arc. The senior from Fort Worth, Texas led the Reddies with 15 points on Thursday against UAM.
 
Taylor Smith is averaging 11.6 points per game and leads the GAC in 3-point shooting hitting on 46 percent of his attempts (45-of-98). The junior from Kensett, Ark. scored 6 points and had 4 assists in Henderson's opening round game. However, Taylor's turnaround jumper with 42 seconds left against UAM was the key play in the Reddies advancing to Saturday's semi-final game.
 
Melvin Haynes averages 10.8 points per contest and leads the team in free throw shooting converting on 83 percent from the charity stripe.
 
Trailing 51-42 with 12:19 to play in game on Thursday, Haynes' 3-point field goal jump-started the Reddies as Henderson State went on an 18-7 run.


Also averaging double-figures is Reggie Murphy at 10.7 points per game. Murphy is shooting a team-best 64 percent from the field while averaging 5.8 rebounds per game. Murphy totaled 14 points and had 7 rebounds against the Boll Weevils and was a force inside.
 
Murphy averaged 16.0 points and 8.0 rebounds in the two games against SAU this season. The junior from Los Angeles was 12-of-14 from the field and 8-of-10 from the foul line against the Muleriders.
 
Ronald Lawson averaged 15.5 points including a 20-point, 15-rebound performance in the 83-68 win over SAU.
           
Henderson State leads the all-time series having a 100-68 record.
 
Henderson State is competing in its 13th conference tournament since becoming a NCAA Division II institution in 1993-94.
 
In 20 years as part of the NCAA, the Reddies have advanced to seven semi-final games, five championship games, and have won four conference tournament championships.
 
All four titles came when Henderson State was a part of the Gulf South Conference. The Reddies claimed three straight titles winning in 1999, 2000 and 2001. Henderson's last tournament championship was in 2003.
 
HSU's overall conference tournament record is 16-8, including a 1-2 record in the GAC Tournament.

All GAC Championship games stream live at GACSportsNetwork.com.