MAGNOLIA, Ark. (Interstat) — Hallie Kitchen had 18 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists in 26 minutes, and Southern Arkansas pulled away from Wiley for a 90-42 victory in a women’s NCAA Division II game at Watson Athletic Center. The Muleriders improved to 1-1 with the win over Wiley, the visiting team and a non-divisional opponent. Attendance was 756.

Wiley opened with Alexandra Brooks’ pull-up jumper, Kitchen answered with a tip-in, and Brooks hit a 3-pointer for a 5-2 Wiley lead. Southern Arkansas then took control behind Blythe Crawley’s transition scoring, Johnna Brockman’s work inside and baskets from Hope Bump and Kadia Ward. Crawley converted a jumper in transition, Brockman made a layup, and Kitchen added a free throw and a layup during the burst. Crawley hit a 3-point jump shot, Bump scored on a layup and Crawley added another layup as the Muleriders built a double-digit cushion. Ward made a 3-pointer, and Crawley scored off a turnover before Wiley’s Emilee Proctor hit a 3-pointer late in the first quarter. Southern Arkansas scored 24 points in the first quarter and kept pressure on Wiley with points in the paint and off turnovers.

Southern Arkansas led comfortably at halftime and maintained control through the second half. Kennedy Moss opened the third quarter with consecutive layups, Crawley made three free throws and later hit two 3-pointers, and Ward added free throws as the lead grew. Wiley got a pair of free throws from Nyemah Hodo and a layup from Kyla Clark, but Southern Arkansas answered with a 3-pointer from Kylie Ross and more free throws from Ward. Dae’Jaidence Kincade scored for Southern Arkansas in the closing seconds of the third, and Emilee Proctor made a layup for Wiley before the quarter ended. In the fourth, Kincade converted a turnaround jumper and a layup, Moss made a layup, and Krista Rivers, Bethany Baltes and Lilly Reid helped close the scoring. Wiley received free throws from Hodo, Moriah Burley and Carly Gates and a late free throw from Chrisonie D’Sanders, but the Muleriders’ lead was never threatened. Southern Arkansas kept Wiley from cutting into the lead over the final 10 minutes.

Southern Arkansas finished with 90 points from 80 possessions and an offensive rating of 112.1. The Muleriders had 27 offensive rebounds, nine assists and 11 turnovers. They outscored Wiley 46-12 in the paint and 28-6 off turnovers. Wiley was limited to 12 points in the paint and six points off turnovers. Wiley was limited to 42 points overall.

Kitchen, who had four points and one rebound in the season opener against Texas Woman’s, led Southern Arkansas with 18 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists in 26 minutes. Blythe Crawley scored 24 points and grabbed six rebounds in 20 minutes. Kadia Ward added 10 points, five rebounds and two assists in 20 minutes, while Johnna Brockman had seven points and three rebounds in 18 minutes. Kennedy Moss contributed nine points, eight rebounds and an assist in 17 minutes, and Dae’Jaidence Kincade had five points and six rebounds in 16 minutes. Bethany Baltes had two points, three rebounds and an assist in six minutes. Krista Rivers had four points and five rebounds in 10 minutes. Hope Bump had four points, two rebounds and two assists in 18 minutes. Cloie Jansky grabbed four rebounds in seven minutes.

Southern Arkansas is scheduled to host Newman in its next game, followed by a trip to Arkansas-Fort Smith and a home game against Ozarks. The Muleriders also have upcoming games against Union (Tenn.), Midwestern State, Arkansas-Monticello, Arkansas Tech, Ouachita Baptist, Harding and Henderson State.