GAME COVERAGE LINKS: Live Video | Live Radio | Live Stats
***NO FANS PER GAC POLICY***
ARKADELPHIA, Ark. — Following a setback in its season opener, Henderson State looks to get back on track Saturday when the Reddies head to Russellville, Arkansas to take on Arkansas Tech at 4 p.m.
REDDIES REPORT
- Henderson had its season opener spoiled on Thursday night by Southern Arkansas, as the Muleriders shot 50% from the floor and held on late to defeat the Reddies 83-77 in Arkadelphia. HSU shot just 40.2% from the field in the loss.
- Jeremiah Toney had one of the best games of his career in the opener for Henderson and turned in a career-high 22 points, 11 rebounds and four steals. Toney was 9-of-13 inside the 3-point line. Newcomer Damian Dear also had a strong first outing in a Reddies uniform and gave HSU 15 points off the bench on 5-of-9 shooting. Quawn Marshall, despite being saddled with foul trouble for a large portion of the second half, finished with a career-best 11 assists, which was the league high for any player on Thursday.
- Twelve (12) different players saw game action against the Muleriders for Henderson and seven played 15 minutes or more. Dear, Malik Riddle, Drake Wilks, Yuri Swinford, Josh Mason and Jaelin Ferrell each made their HSU debuts.
- The Reddies have had recent success against Arkansas Tech and have won five of the last six meetings overall, including five-straight at one point. The last game these two programs played was a doozy, however, as the Wonder Boys outlasted HSU 126-122 in triple overtime last season in Russellville. It was the first triple overtime affair in Henderson State program history.
- HSU is looking to avoid its first 0-2 start to conference play since the 2015-16 campaign, which was Jimmy Elgas's first season in Arkadelphia. The Reddies found themselves in this exact situation two seasons ago, and after falling to SAU in their season opener, responded with an 80-79 win over Tech in Tucker Coliseum.
SCOUTING ARKANSAS TECH
- The Wonder Boys enter Saturday's contest 2-1 overall and 0-1 in GAC play after falling to UAM 78-65 on the road Thursday night. ATU is one of just two teams in the league, and the only school in the Eastern Division, who has played three games to this point.
- Tech is led by head coach Mark Downey, who is in his first year back with the program after previously serving as ATU head coach from 2006-2010. During his first stint with the Wonder Boys, Arkansas Tech won 30 games in his final season and reached the No. 1 ranking nationally.
- Offensively, ATU's top scorer is Ke'Lyn Adams, who is averaging 14.3 points per game on 46.2% shooting from the field. On the other end of the floor Tech has been stout thus far, and has held opponents to 26.8% shooting from beyond the arc and 39.4% shooting overall. The Wonder Boys have struggled with turnovers, however, and are -3.7 in turnover margin through three contests with an average of 19.3 turnovers per game.
