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ARKADELPHIA, Ark. — After a promising start to the season in non-conference action, Henderson State will kick off its Great American Conference slate on Thursday night at 7:30 p.m. against Southern Arkansas in Magnolia, Arkansas.

REDDIES REPORT
- Henderson State (4-1) got back on track last Saturday when the Reddies raced past NAIA-Hannibal-LaGrange 83-62 at the Duke Wells Center. Five players scored in double figures in the win.

- The Reddies will look to start 1-0 in the Great American Conference for just the second time under head coach Jimmy Elgas on Thursday night at Southern Arkansas. Henderson dropped its GAC openers in 2015 and 2017, but got off to a 2-0 start in 2016, when it last made the GAC Tournament.

- Southern Arkansas took both games in the season series last year over HSU. The Muleriders won 90-76 in Arkadelphia before claiming a 78-69 win in Magnolia. The Reddies' second loss to SAU eliminated them from the GAC Tournament race in 2017-18.

- Several Reddies rank among the league leaders statistically through five non-conference games this season. Rel Johnson is 17th in the conference in points per game (14.7) and second in 3-point shooting percentage (.786), Mike Fofana is sixth in rebounds per game (7.6), Chris Parker is one of four players in the league with 10 or more steals (10), and Raekwon Rogers leads the GAC in total offensive rebounds (16) and offensive rebounds per game (3.2).

- Henderson and SAU have three common opponents so far this year: the University of Mary, Augustana, and Mississippi College. HSU has beaten Augustana and lost to MC, while SAU has beaten MC and lost to Augustana. Both schools beat the University of Mary.

- The Reddies are looking for their first 5-1 start since 2012-13 when they opened the season 6-0 before finishing 14-13. It would be the best start of Elgas' career at HSU.

SCOUTING SOUTHERN ARKANSAS
- The Muleriders enter Thursday night's conference opener 5-1 overall and riding a five-game winning streak that began after they lost their first game to Augustana 75-67. SAU was picked fifth in the 2018 GAC preseason poll after they finished 11-11 in the league last season, which was good enough for the No. 7 seed in the GAC Tournament.

- Southern Arkansas is led by senior guard C.J. Elkins, who is averaging 13.5 points per game on 49.1 percent shooting. SAU's defense has been stingy so far in 2018-19. The Muleriders are No. 1 in the GAC in field goal percentage defense (35.5 percent shooting for opponents) and second in scoring defense (64.3 points per game to opponents).

- SAU has won three-straight contests against the Reddies and five of the last six overall. The Muleriders are 5-1 against HSU in the past three seasons. Four of those wins came by double figures.