COVERAGE LINKS | GAME NOTES
 
ARKADELPHIA, Ark. – After starting GAC play on the road, Henderson State now opens its conference home slate, beginning with Arkansas-Monticello when the Reddies and the Boll Weevils meet inside the Duke Wells Center Saturday, Dec. 2 at 3 p.m.
 
REDDIES REPORT (1-3, 0-1 GAC)
Henderson St. held a 14-point lead at halftime against Southern Arkansas Thursday in Magnolia, but the Muleriders used a 51.7 field-goal percentage in the final 20 minutes of action to claim the one-point victory, 67-66. It truly was a tale of two halves inside the W.T. Watson Athletic Center, with HSU making 15 shots in the first half compared to 10 in the second while SAU made 10 first-half field-goals and 15 in the second frame. The Muleriders also made 12-of-15 free-throw attempts in the second half, whereas the Reddies made 6-of-7 second-half attempts.
 
The red-and-gray's defense was brilliant in the opening half, forcing 10 SAU turnovers in the first 20 minutes of game time. That suffocating defense also held the Muleriders to just 16.7 percent (3-of-18) from three-point range for the entire game. The Reddies currently rank No. 1 in the conference in opponent three-point field-goal percentage at 29.0 percent. Offensively from behind the arc, HSU is 12th in three-point attempts. When it does shoot them, Henderson is hitting at a 37.7 percent clip, which is good enough for fourth in the conference.
 
Henderson got season highs in scoring from Malek Davis and Tomislav Miholjcic with 17 and 14 points, respectively. After being held scoreless in his HSU debut, Davis is averaging 16.3 points and is shooting 45.2 percent from the field over his last three games while Miholjcic recorded his second consecutive double-double with 11 rebounds. It was the second time in the Belgrade, Serbia, native's career to post back-to-back double-doubles as he now has the opportunity to post a double-double in three straight games for the first time in his career.
 
A win on Saturday would mark Henderson State's 100th all-time victory against Arkansas-Monticello, with the Reddies currently leading the all-time series, 99-74. Henderson is currently sporting a four-game winning streak over the Boll Weevils. All four such victories have come by four points or fewer, including last season's 66-65 triumph in Arkadelphia. The red-and-gray have not lost to UAM inside the Duke Wells Center since the 2020-21 season.
 
SCOUTING ARKANSAS-MONTICELLO (1-4, 0-1 GAC)
Arkansas-Monticello had a similar fate to Henderson in its GAC opener, falling to Arkansas Tech by single digits, 87-81. Trailing for most of the game, UAM cut the Wonder Boy lead to one with 25 seconds remaining, but ATU connected on seven of its final eight free-throws down the stretch to keep the Boll Weevils at bay. Monticello did out-rebound Tech, 26-19, including being plus-seven on the offensive rebound count that resulted in 15 second-chance points compared to two for Arkansas Tech.
 
The Boll Weevils lead the GAC in combined opponent rebounds with 27.0 while HSU is allowing opponents 38.0 rebounds per game. Monticello is also sixth in team offensive rebounds (10.2) while Henderson is 10th (8.0). In total rebounding margin, UAM is third in the league at plus-4.8 whereas the Reddies are 11th at minus-5.3. Arkansas-Monticello also owns the second-best scoring defense in the conference at 67.2 points per game.
 
Head Coach Chad Tapp's squad boasts two guys who are averaging north of 20 points per contest: Isaac Jackson (21.8 ppg) and Zane Nelson (20.0 ppg). Both Jackson and Nelson, who are currently the two leading scorers in the conference, have delivered 30-point outings at least once this season, with Nelson's 30-piece coming against Arkansas Tech on 11-of-21 shooting, including 6-of-10 from three. Behind Jackson and Nelson, UAM's next leading scorer is Cole Anderson with 6.0 points per game.