Box Score
Box score in PDF
TAHLEQUAH, Okla. – The Northeastern State women's basketball team grinded out a 64-48 victory over Northwestern Oklahoma State University Tuesday night at Jack Dobbins Field House in the home opener of the 2012-13 season.
The RiverHawks (3-1) won their third-straight game, and the Rangers fell to 0-3 on the season.
Senior guard
Tosha Tyler led the home team with 15 points of 5-of-6 shooting. She knocked down two triples, hit all three free-throw attempts and grabbed five rebounds in 28 minutes. Fellow senior guard
Taylor Lewis added 12 points.
Titania Simmons was the only Ranger to hit double figures, as she finished with 12. Dierra Gilmore added nine points and seven boards for the visitors.
NSU jumped on top 11-0 in the first three minutes of action, and it looked like the rout would be on. Northwestern Oklahoma State would not go down easily, however, as the road side used a 12-5 run to get within four at the 11:36 mark.
The RiverHawks stretched their lead out to 10 late in the opening half, and they took a 33-26 advantage into halftime.
The Rangers came out of the locker room on fire, using a quick 5-0 run to get within two. The two teams battled back and forth for the first seven minutes of the second half, and NWOSU held firm trailing just two at 40-38 with 13:36 remaining.
Northeastern State turned things around in the blink of an eye, as three quick trey's from senior forward
Sarah Green and sophomore guards
Chelsey Stricklen and
Fontana Tate blew the game wide open.
The Rangers were never able to recover from the quick spurt, and the RiverHawks ballooned their lead out to 20 points before securing the 64-48 triumph.
NSU shot 45 percent from the field and 32 percent (7-for-22) from downtown. The team also converted 13 of 17 free throws (77 percent).
NWOSU held the advantage in bench scoring (28-15), but Northeastern State had more points in the paint (24-10), points off turnovers (17-8) and points on the fast break (10-2).
The Rangers shot just 33 percent from the field, 31 percent from behind the arc (7-for-23) and 88 percent from the charity stripe (7-for-8).
The RiverHawks are now set for a treacherous three-game slate that sees the team meeting three ranked foes. NSU will first travel to No. 21 Tarleton State for a 5 p.m. tip Nov. 24. The team will also travel to No. 25 Drury (7 p.m. Nov. 28) and then come back to Jack Dobbins Field House to play host to No. 20 Emporia State (5:30 p.m. Dec. 5).
-GoRiverHawksGo.com-
NORTHEASTERN STATE HEAD COACH RANDY GIPSON
On his thoughts on the game…
“I give (Northwestern State Oklahoma) credit. They played physical and hard. They played a hard-pressured game, and I don't think we responded to it very well. We had difficulty getting in our offense, but I think we finally responded there in the middle of the second half. We picked up our defensive intensity, and we had an offensive flurry that followed that, which is how it tends to happen at times with us.”
On the three-straight three's that turned the game around…
“(Chelsey, Fontana and Sarah) came up big there. We know we're capable of shooting the ball well. Shooting was a bit sporadic, but we were able to make some big ones in that stretch. And we had some different people doing it. I think that's a strength of our team is that we have a lot of people that can make big shots. Hopefully we can keep getting that.”
On playing at home for the first time this season…
“It was nice to come home, but sometimes everyone focuses on their game better. I don't think we had great concentration tonight. I don't know if it was the Thanksgiving holiday that is coming or just being back home and having friends and family around. Playing at home is something that we've been real comfortable with, and I think we'll be a good home court team.”
On playing ranked teams each of the next three games…
“We're playing all good people, and I think our kids understand that. I think we'll have good preparation for these next three games and be ready to play hard on Saturday (against Tarleton).”
