COVERAGE LINKS I GAME NOTES
 
ARKADELPHIA, Ark. – The Henderson State women's basketball program opens conference play on the road at the W.T. Watson Athletic Center, where the Reddies will clash with in-state rival Southern Arkansas on Thursday, Nov. 30 at 5:30 p.m.

REDDIES REPORT
HSU (4-2) picked up its first win over a ranked opponent since 2020-21 last time out, knocking off the No. 9 team in the nation with a 71-69 victory over Texas Woman's. The Reddies led most of the game until TWU tied the contest 53-53 and later 69-69 with nine seconds remaining. Ashley Farrar converted two of her ten free throws with seven seconds left to hold off the Pioneers.
 
Farrar continues to lead the team in scoring after recording 17 points in the win over TWU, with 109 points on the year, averaging 18.2 per contest. The Green Forest, Ark. native now has 1,487 career points – the fourth most in school history – and is 13 points away from becoming just the fourth player in program history to reach 1,500 career points.
 
Rounding out the scoring against TWU, Brynlee Huggins matched her career-high points with 14 on 3-of-3 shooting from beyond the arc and is now averaging 7.5 points per game. Tori Gittens saw her fourth double-digit point game of the season with 12 points, while JJ Eddens and Natalie Cardenas had 12 and 10 points, respectively. Gittens has been the Reddies' most efficient shot taker, as the Sherman, Texas native is shooting 51.9 percent from the field and 57.7 percent from deep.
 
HSU is the fourth-highest scoring team in the GAC, averaging 77.7 points per game, and is shooting 40.1 percent from the field and 38.4 percent from beyond the arc as a team. The Reddies have struggled at the glass through their first six games, as they rank 11^th in the league in rebounding with 35.8 rebounds per game compared to opponents who are averaging 43.2 rebounds.
 
In the 115^th meeting between Henderson State and Southern Arkansas, the Reddies hold the edge in the series with a 62-51-1 record. HSU and SAU have played each other close in four of the last five games, with three games decided by three or fewer points and the other contest going to overtime. Magnolia has proven to be a tricky place for the Reddies, as HSU has lost its last three trips to the W.T. Watson Athletic Center.
 
SCOUTING SOUTHERN ARKANSAS
Southern Arkansas has opened the season with five straight wins heading into the first conference game. The Muleriders have rolled past their last three opponents, scoring 101 points in each contest while holding the opposition to less than 60 points. Most recently, Southern Arkansas defeated Christian Brothers on the road 101-59.
 
SAU has put up big numbers in the last three games, which sees them lead the conference in scoring with 96.4 points per game. The Muleriders have been efficient with their shooting, as they rank second in the league in field goal percentage, converting 45.8 percent of their shots from the floor. Diamond Morris leads SAU's high-powered offense as one of four players averaging double-digit points with 14.2 points per game while shooting 56.0 percent from the field.  
 
Defensively, the Muleriders have caused opponent offenses problems, as they lead all of Division II with 126 steals and 25.2 steals per game. SAU is winning the turnover battle 105-to-195 and has taken advantage of the quick change of possession with 44.8 points off turnovers. Additionally, SAU ranks second in rebounding (45.8) and leads the GAC in offensive rebounds with 20.6 per game.