MAGNOLIA, Ark. – Henderson State's late rally comes up short on the road at Southern Arkansas, falling to the Muleriders 62-60 inside the W.T. Watson Athletic Center.
 
Gracie Raby paced the team with a career-high 26 points, while Ashley Farrar and Abbie Jiles rounded out the scoring with 17 and 11 points, respectively. The Reddies shot 38.6 percent from the field and 45.0 percent from the three-point line. However, Henderson left six points at the foul line, going 7-12.
 
A triple from Farrar and a layup from Raby gave the Reddies an early 5-2 lead to start the game. Henderson held a one-point advantage after the first media break, 5-4, with 4:24 left in the opening period. SAU scored back-to-back threes to regain the lead 12-9 and would lead 14-11 after ten minutes played.
 
The game's pace picked up in the second period after a cagey first frame. Raby connected on a triple to tie the game 14 all before the two sides traded baskets. A 7-0 run by the Muleriders gave them a three-point advantage at the media timeout, 29-26, with 4:15 left. Farrar scored a layup seconds after the break to regain the lead for the Reddies 30-29. Both sides fell into a scoring slump in the final minutes, with the score tied 31-31 at halftime.
 
Jiles caught fire in the opening minutes of the second half, scoring back-to-back triples to give Henderson a seven-point lead, 39-32. Southern Arkansas' high press began to take effect as the Reddies struggled to get out of their own half. The Muleridres found their range going on a 12-0 run and a 6-0 run to take a ten-point lead, 52-42. A three-pointer from Jiles cut SAU's lead to five, heading into the final period, 52-47.   
 
The fourth period began with Farrar scoring an early basket to bring the Reddies within three, 52-49. Both teams struggled to find points, as the next basket would not come till 6:19 when Raby made a layup to cut SAU's lead to one, 52-51. Henderson would take the lead 60-59 off a free throw from Raby. HSU's rally would come up short as Southern Arkansas made back-to-back baskets to win 62-60.  
 
Henderson State (8-7, 5-4) resumes action on Saturday, Jan. 21 at 1 p.m. when Arkansas-Monticello visits the Duke Wells Center.