COVERAGE LINKS | GAME NOTES 

ARKADELPHIA, Ark. - Henderson State closes its inaugural Oklahoma road trip of the 2023-24 season with a trip to Alva, Okla., to take on Northwestern Oklahoma State Saturday, Jan. 13. Tip-off from Percefull Fieldhouse is set for 3 p.m. 

REDDIES REPORT (5-7, 4-3 GAC) 
Henderson State comes into the Northwestern matchup off a game that saw HSU hold a 10-point lead in the second half before eventually falling in overtime to Southwestern Oklahoma State, 84-82. Struggles at the free-throw line plagued the Reddies as they missed nine free throws in the second half and overtime combined. With 3:30 remaining in regulation until the end of overtime, the red-and-gray went 5-of-11 from the charity stripe. 

Tomislav Miholjcic secured his second consecutive double with 14 points and a career-high 16 rebounds, including nine offensive rebounds. The Belgrade, Serbia, native shot 42.9 percent (6-of-14) from the field, which was the best field-goal percentage of anyone on the team on a minimum of 10 shot attempts. After coming into the contest as the best field-goal percentage shooting team in the Great American Conference, HSU is now tied for second at 47.7 percent. 

Through 12 games, Henderson State has the second-best scoring offense in the GAC at 79.1 points per game. Uncharacteristically, however, HSU is just the ninth best scoring defense team in the league at 73.8 points. The last time the Reddies finished a season with a higher ranked scoring offense than scoring defense in the league was during the 2019-20 season – the same year the red-and-gray won the GAC Tournament.  

The Reddies are tied for third in the league at 4-3, along with three other teams, while another two are 3-4. All three of Henderson's conference losses have been by three points or fewer. Each of the red-and-gray's next three opponents are 4-3 or better in GAC play, starting with Northwestern Oklahoma State Saturday. 

The last time HSU and NWOSU met in Alva, the Reddies triumphed in overtime, 91-89, as the red-and-gray put on a shooting clinic, hitting at a 52.4 percent (33-of-63) clip from the floor, 63.2 percent (12-of-19) from deep and 92.9 percent (13-of-14) from the free-throw line. Henderson, which leads the all-time series against Northwestern Oklahoma, 11-9, has split the last four meetings with the Rangers on their home floor. 

SCOUTING NORTHWESTERN OKLAHOMA ST. (6-7, 4-3 GAC) 
Similar to Southwestern Oklahoma State, Northwestern started the season 2-5 and 0-2 in conference. Since then, it has four of its last six and is currently riding a three-game winning streak in GAC play. Those victories came on the road at Arkansas-Monticello and at Southern Arkansas before most recently beating Ouachita Baptist at home. The Rangers held the Tigers to 29.6 percent shooting (16-of-54) while themselves shot 45.8 percent (22-of-48) for the 68-52 victory. 

Northwestern has vamped up its defense during this winning streak. In the last three games, Ranger opponents have not shot 40.0 percent or better from the field. Prior to those trio of games, NWOSU had not held an NCAA Division II opponent below 43.0 percent. On the season, the red-and-black are seventh in the conference in opponent field-goal percentage defense (44.8%). 

Sophomore guard Camron McDowell (14.8) and graduate student Brian Free (14.5) are leading the scoring for Northwestern. McDowell, who has made six consecutive three-pointers in the last three games, has scored in double figures in each of the last six contests. Before scoring just eight and seven in the last two outings, Free exploded for 30 points against Arkansas-Monticello on just 12 field-goal attempts as the nation's third best free-throw shooter went a perfect 10-for-10 at the free-throw line.