ARKADELPHIA, Ark. — Henderson State's men's basketball team opens its 2021-22 regular season schedule on Saturday and Sunday when it competes at the 2021 Central Region Challenge in Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Missouri.

The Reddies will face off against Winona State at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday and Missouri Western at 4:15 p.m. on Sunday afternoon.

REDDIES REPORT
- Henderson returns eight players from its 2021 team and was picked fifth in the GAC Preseason Coaches Poll. The Reddies are one of just two teams in the conference that has reached the league semifinals in each of the last three seasons.

- The Reddies have enjoyed tremendous success in recent years under the watchful eye of head coach Jimmy Elgas, who enters his seventh season at the school. Henderson is the winningest program in Arkansas at any level over the last three seasons (65.4%) and won the 2020 GAC Tournament Championship two years ago.

- HSU received an excellent opportunity three weeks ago when it traveled to NCAA Division I Southern Illinois for an exhibition matchup in Carbondale, Illinois. The Reddies fell to the Salukis 66-52, but outscored SIU 31-24 in the second half. Newcomer Alvin Miles led Henderson with 10 points, while Malik Riddle contributed nine points, six rebounds and four steals. The Reddies shot 50% from 3-point range and also won the turnover battle with the Salukis 15-13. 

- Riddle will be counted on this season after earning Second Team All-GAC honors in the spring during his first campaign for the Reddies. The senior from Holly Springs, Mississippi averaged 12.6 points and 5.7 rebounds per game last season and scored in double figures in 13 of HSU's 20 games. 

- Henderson's roster features multiple players who have spent time at the NCAA DI level. Transfers Franck Kamgain and Ryan Boyce come to HSU from UMKC and Georgia State, respectively, while Riddle began his career at Morehead State.

- In Elgas's tenure, the Reddies are 7-6 overall in non-conference games against Division II schools and 5-1 since the start of the 2018-19 season. Henderson is 4-2 in season openers since 2015-16. Elgas is 92-74 overall at HSU and 53-28 in the last three years. 

SCOUTING WINONA STATE
- The Warriors are coming off of a 7-6 campaign during the spring COVID season and went 18-12 back in 2019-20 with a 14-8 record in the Northern Sun. WSU was picked sixth preseason in the NSIC South Division and 11th overall in the league.

- Senior guard Devin Whitelow is a name to watch for Winona State. Whitelow averages 8.3 points and 3.7 assists per game for his career with the Warriors and led all of NCAA DII in assist to turnover ratio in 2018-19 (5.96). Whitelow has started 90 games for WSU in his career and played in 99 overall.

- Winona State has a rich basketball tradition and has been a powerhouse at the NCAA DII level. The Warriors won the 2006 and 2008 national championships and have an overall record of 23-8 all-time in the NCAA Tournament. 

SCOUTING MISSOURI WESTERN
- The Griffons finished the 2020-21 season 14-11 overall and 13-9 in the MIAA. MWSU earned an at-large bid to the NCAA DII Tournament but fell in the first round to fellow MIAA member Washburn, who also bounced them from the league tournament. Missouri Western is 1-1 already this season and defeated No. 8 St. Thomas Aquinas, 93-82 just five days ago.

- Sophomore forward Will Eames is the Griffons leading returning scorer and averaged 11.9 points and 8.7 rebounds last season. Eames was named an Honorable Mention All-MIAA performer and has started in 50 of the 52 games he's played in his career for MWSU.

- Missouri Western has made big strides in recent years. The Griffons were 6-21 overall in the 2017-18 season, but improved by six wins each of the next two years. MWSU was a force in the 1990s and early 2000s under head coach Tom Smith, and won 20 or more games 12 times between 1989-90 and 2002-03.