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TAHLEQUAH, Okla. – The Northeastern State men's basketball team is set to play host to Pittsburg State in a mid-week tilt. The RiverHawks (12-4, 5-3 MIAA) will welcome the Gorillas (12-4, 5-3 MIAA) to Jack Dobbins Field House (1,000) at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 23.
 
Pittsburg State owns a 4-3 record over NSU in the series history since the RiverHawks joined the NCAA in 1996-97. The two squads split a series last year, and the Gorillas posted a 3-2 record in the five meetings between the 1997-98 season to the 2001-02 campaign.
 
PSU was selected in the preseason MIAA coaches poll to finish fourth in the league, while NSU was picked 14th.
 
SCOUTING THE GORILLAS
Pittsburg State boasts a 12-4 record with a 5-3 mark in the league. The Gorillas defeated Fort Hays State 72-69 in their last outing after falling at both Central Missouri (80-73) and Missouri Southern State (87-80). Other league wins have come over Central Oklahoma (81-70), Lindenwood (85-79), Nebraska Kearney (76-62), and Lincoln (85-63). Kaleb Porter leads the team in scoring at 13.7 ppg. JaVon McGee is tops on the team and sixth in the MIAA in rebounding (7.2 rpg), while also scoring 12.3 ppg. Courtney Ingram also hits double figures at 11.6 ppg.
 
THE SAME PATH
Northeastern State and Pittsburg State have a few glaring similarities this season, the most obvious being identical 12-4 overall records and 5-3 MIAA marks. Looking closer at how they got there shows that both squads jumped out to 10-1 starts this season before posting 2-3 records in their last five games. The two teams also have elite rebounders in NSU's Jermaine Bransford (9.6 rpg) and PSU's JaVon McGee (7.2 rpg).
 
WHERE THEY STAND
Northeastern State currently owns a 5-3 record in its first season in the MIAA. The RiverHawks are tied with Pittsburg State for third in the league table and stand a half game behind Northwest Missouri State (5-2). Central Missouri leads the way at 6-1, with Lindenwood, Fort Hays State and Missouri Southern all tied for fifth at 4-3. NSU was selected to finish 14th in the conference this season by both the media and the league coaches.
 
HOBBS SNAGS WEEKLY MIAA ACCOLADE
Bryton Hobbs was honored as the MIAA Men's Basketball Athlete of the Week on Jan. 21. The junior guard led Northeastern State to a 2-0 mark, which included a road triumph over rival Central Oklahoma and a home win over No. 10 Washburn. He averaged 22 points per game and made 27 of 30 free-throw attempts (90 percent). He played 79 of a possible 80 minutes over the two-game stretch, and he recorded a career-high four steals against UCO and seven assists against the Ichabods. He scored 19 points against Central Oklahoma, had five rebounds and went 13-for-13 from the free-throw line. He dropped 25 points and knocked down three treys against the No. 10-ranked Ichabods.
 
THE DOUBLE-DOUBLE MACHINE
Senior forward Jermaine Bransford entered 2012-13 with just one double-digit rebounding effort and no career double doubles. He recorded his first double-double with 22 points and 11 rebounds Dec. 5 against Emporia State, and he now has reached at least 10 points and 10 rebounds in seven of his last 10 games. He also has near double-doubles against Arkansas Tech (eight points, 12 boards), Northwestern Oklahoma State (31 points, nine boards), Harding (12 points, eight rebounds), and Central Oklahoma (22 points, nine rebounds). Over his last 12 games, Bransford is averaging 16.7 ppg (200 total points) and 10.7 rpg (128 total rebounds). He leads the MIAA in rebounding this season with 9.6 rpg.
 
BRILLIANT BRYTON
Northeastern State received a welcomed addition in the offseason in junior transfer Bryton Hobbs. The guard from St. Louis, Mo., has come to Tahlequah via both Pratt Community College and Cowley College. He has taken the MIAA by storm in his first season with the RiverHawks, as he is currently the league's fourth-leading scorer at 17.4 ppg, and he is fifth in assists with 4.9 dimes a night.
 
WELCOME TO THE NEW LEAGUE
Northeastern State is currently in its first season as members of the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association. The RiverHawks opened league play Dec. 5 with a 63-56 victory over Emporia State at Jack Dobbins Field House. Senior forward Jermaine Bransford led the way for the home team with his first-career double-double. He recorded 22 points, 11 rebounds and three steals in 37 minutes. Junior guard Bryton Hobbs added 18 points and six assists.
 
BRANSFORD NAMED MIAA ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Jermaine Bransford was honored as the MIAA Men's Basketball Athlete of the Week Dec. 20. The senior forward was named the Most Outstanding Player of the QU Holiday Tournament. Against Truman State in the finals, he recorded 23 points and 13 rebounds for his third double-double in four games. He averaged 16.5 points and 8.0 rebounds for the tournament, and he also boasted shooting percentages of 60 percent from the field (12-for-20) and 82 percent from the free-throw line (9-for-11). He became the first member of the NSU men's basketball team to earn a weekly honor in the MIAA. The last time a RiverHawk earned a weekly laurel was Jan. 24, 2011 when Antoine Branch was named the Lone Star Conference North Division Offensive Player of the Week.
 
IN THE LEAGUE
Northeastern State leads the MIAA in three statistical categories this year. The team is the league leader in free-throw percentage (.794), three point field-goal percentage (.421) and three point field-goal percentage defense (.310). The team is also second in scoring defense (63.0), field-goal percentage (.487), rebounding defense (30.8), and assist/turnover ratio (1.3).
 
LIGHTS OUT
The RiverHawks have posted great shooting percentages this season, making 49 percent of their attempts from the field (402-825), 42 percent from downtown (115-273) and 79 percent from the free-throw line (262-330). Of those with at least 30 attempts, sophomore forward Landon DeMasters leads the team in shooting percentage (32-53, .604) and senior guard Jon Miller is the team leader in three-point percentage (19-41, .463). Senior guard Ethan Anderson is also 31-for-36 from the line. Senior forward Jermaine Bransford, Anderson, senior forward John Schneider, and junior guard Bryton Hobbs are a combined 180-for-215 (.837) from the charity stripe.
 
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