COVERAGE LINKS | GAME NOTES

ARKADELPHIA, Ark. - Off of its big home win over Southeastern Oklahoma State Thursday, Henderson State looks to string together a pair of victories when East Central comes to the Duke Wells Center Saturday, Jan. 20 for a 3 p.m. tip.

REDDIES REPORT (6-8, 5-4 GAC)
After trailing for 37 minutes and 33 seconds of Thursday's contest, the Reddies rallied and overtook Southeastern Oklahoma late for the 83-81 victory. The win marked the 23rd consecutive time HSU has won a game at home when it scored at least 80 points. The triumph also improved the red-and-gray to 5-1 on their home floor this season, signaling their best home record through six games since the 2019-20 season when that Henderson team finished the year 13-1 inside Duke Wells.

The Reddies held Southeastern to its worse three-point shooting percentage of the season after hitting on just 6-of-27 attempts (22.2%). That defensive effort now has Henderson as the second-ranked three-point field-goal percentage defense in the GAC at 30.9 percent, which is tied for 35th in NCAA Division II. Overall, HSU is third in the conference with a 42.8 opponent field-goal percentage. Meanwhile, East Central is eighth in the league in team field-goal shooting percentage (45.1%).

Henderson St. found a big boost with its efforts on the glass against the Savage Storm, winning the rebounding battle, 47-38, including 20-11 on the offensive boards. In games this season where HSU wins the rebounding battle, it is 4-2. When losing the rebounding battle, it is just 2-6. The Reddies have not lost at home this season when they have out-rebound their opponents. East Central comes to the Duke Wells Center ranked 10th in the GAC in team offensive rebounds (8.1) and team defensive rebounds (22.1) while being ninth in rebounding margin (-2.3).

The red-and-gray have dropped consecutive contests against East Central for the first time since the 2017-18 and 2018-19 seasons. Prior to this current two-game skid against ECU, Henderson had won five in a row. Last year in Arkadelphia, the Tigers claimed the 90-79 victory behind a 54.4 field-goal percentage. 

SCOUTING EAST CENTRAL (8-7, 4-5 GAC)
East Central currently sits a game behind Henderson State in the conference standings with a 4-5 GAC record. After starting out 4-2 in conference play, the Tigers have dropped three in a row, including most recently at Ouachita Baptist, 75-63. After leading by three at halftime, ECU ceded 44 points to OUA in the final 20 minutes while itself scored just 29 for the eventual 12-point defeat.

The Tigers bring their GAC third-ranked scoring defense into Saturday's contest, allowing 68.7 points per game. That number has grown to 71.1 points in GAC contests this season. During this three-game losing streak, ECU has allowed 75 or more points twice and has failed to score 64 points in all three outings. While boasting a solid defense, East Central owns the 10th-ranked scoring offense in the conference at 68.1 points per game.

Senior guard Keyon Thomas (13.2 ppg) and junior forward Godsgift Ezedinma (12.3 ppg) are the only two Tigers averaging above 10 points per game. During this three-game skid, however, Thomas has scored in double figures just once while Ezedinma was held to just one point against Arkansas-Monticello last Thursday. In its five GAC losses, East Central is averaging 53.4 points per game. In the four wins, it's seeing 78.5 points per game.