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TAHLEQUAH, Okla. – The Northeastern State women's basketball team upset No. 10 Fort Hays State 54-44 Thursday night at Jack Dobbins Field House.
 
The RiverHawks improved to 7-4 overall and 2-1 in the MIAA, while handing the Tigers (10-1, 2-1 MIAA) their first loss of the season.
 
Senior guards Tosha Tyler and Taylor Lewis combined for 36 points and nine rebounds to lead NSU. Katelyn Edwards had 12 points and 10 rebounds to pace the visitors.
 
The RiverHawks held FHSU to season lows in both points scored (44) and shooting percentage (16-for-55, 29 percent). The Tigers also made just 3 of 21 from downtown (14 percent) and 9 of 19 from the free-throw line (47 percent).
 
NSU shot 36 percent from the field (17-for-47), 26 percent from behind the three-point line (6-for-23) and 67 percent from the line (14-for-21).
 
Kate Lehman entered the contest as the nation's leader in blocks per game (4.5) and second in the MIAA in points scored (17.5). The stout RiverHawk defense held her to a season-low two blocks to go along with just seven points and six rebounds. This marked the first time all season Lehman failed to reach double-digits in scoring.
 
Kaiameka Brown scored the first basket of the contest, but NSU used a 7-0 run to take a lead it would not relinquish the rest of the game.
 
Fort Hays State was able to battle to a 9-9 draw at 7:53, but the home side scored the next basket and kept a marginal lead throughout the remainder of the opening half. NSU led 18-17 at intermission, and the 17 points scored by the visitors was a season low for a half.
 
The Tigers tied the game at 21-21 early in the second, but trey's from Tyler and Lewis on back-to-back possessions pushed the lead back out to six.
 
NSU used that momentum to build an 11-point lead of 37-26 with just 8:53 to play, but the RiverHawks would go cold from the field for a long stretch.
 
FHSU chipped the deficit down to 37-34 with 5:41 to play, but a rainbow from Tyler with the shot clock winding down at 4:35 sent the crowd into a frenzy.
 
The Tigers would never get closer than seven points the rest of the way, as the home side was able to pull off the upset.
 
This is the second time in 2012-13 that NSU has defeated a ranked foe. The green and white defeated then-No. 21 Emporia State 63-51 Dec. 5.
 
The RiverHawks will return to action with a home MIAA battle at 1:35 p.m. Jan. 5 against Nebraska Kearney.
 
NORTHEASTERN STATE COACH RANDY GIPSON
On defeating a top 10 opponent…
“I hadn't really thought about beating a top 10 team until just now. I'm really proud of the effort of our kids. We were tuned in defensively and we played hard. We did a good job on the boards, I thought that was important. The pressure and defense of Fort Hays State was good. They made it hard for us to run our offense, but I thought we hung in there and made just enough key shots. We had some people hit some key shots for us. We had enough offensively to make the defense hold up.”
 
On holding Kate Lehman to a season-low seven points and two blocks…
“We did a good job on her. Laura Reel did a good job of guarding her when she was in there in the first half. We showed a couple of different looks, and our kids played hard. The perimeter people gave good support. It was a team defensive effort, but our post people had a great effort on fighting her for position and blocking her out on shots.”
 
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