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TAHLEQUAH, Okla. – The Northeastern State women's basketball team will end a two-week hiatus with a home MIAA contest against Missouri Western State at 5:30 p.m. Dec. 19 inside the NSU Event Center (3,100). The RiverHawks (4-5, 1-1 MIAA) had a four-game win streak snapped in its last outing, while the Griffons (4-3, 0-1 MIAA) are on a three-game losing skid after opening the season 4-0.

Northeastern State holds a 4-0 record over Missouri Western State since the RiverHawks joined the NCAA in 1996-97. The last meeting between the schools came in St. Joseph on Feb. 2, 2013, with NSU earning a 73-56 triumph. Missouri Western State actually defeated the RiverHawks 56-40 on Nov. 21, 2006, but the Griffons were forced to vacate the win. The Bearcats were selected in the preseason MIAA coaches poll to finish eighth in the conference, while NSU was picked sixth.

Northeastern State's Probable Starters
F	44	Carrington Fox	5-11	Sr-3L	5.4 ppg, 5.4 rpg	Tulsa, Okla.
G	04	Fontana Tate	5-5	Jr-2L	12.2 ppg, 3.9 rpg	Muldrow, Okla.
G	05	Kate Bellamy	5-9	So-1L	6.1 ppg, 3.6 rpg	NSW, Australia
G	21	Chelsey Beathard	5-8	Jr-2L	9.0 ppg, 3.4 rpg	Pryor, Okla.
G	22	Sarah Sagely	5-6	Jr-TR	5.4 ppg, 2.6 rpg	West Fork, Ark.
Missouri Western State's Probable Starters
F	00	Quenisha Lockett	6-2	Jr.	7.7 ppg, 6.0 rpg	Tuscaloosa, Ala.
F	01	Tiffanie Abrams	5-10	Sr.	4.4 ppg, 4.0 rpg	Detroit, Mich.
F	03	Tiara Hall	6-1	Jr.	7.6 ppg, 7.4 rpg	Paris, Texas
G	23	Sharniece Lewis	5-10	Sr.	10.1 ppg, 2.0 rpg	Warrensburg, Mo.
G	24	Lanicia Lawrence	5-6	Sr.	4.6 ppg, 3.4 apg	St. Robert, Mo.

SCOUTING THE GRIFFONS
Missouri Western State is currently on a three-game losing streak, falling to Drury (71-60), Missouri S&T (77-72) and Fort Hays State (67-53) in the lone MIAA contest of the year for the Griffons. MWSU recently lost its top scorer, Ariana Novak (10.7 ppg), to a season-ending ACL injury, and the current top scorer is Sharniece Lewis at 10.1 ppg. Tiara Hall is the top rebounder at 7.4 rpg (7.6 ppg). Missouri Western State was 16-12 overall in 2012-13 and finished in a three-way tie for eighth place in the MIAA.
 
THE LAST TIME OUT
NSU lost an MIAA matchup 63-50 to Lindenwood University Dec. 7 inside Hyland Arena. The RiverHawks (4-5, 1-1 MIAA) saw their recent four-game win streak snapped, while the Lady Lions (6-2, 2-0 MIAA) continued to impress following a 4-22 record a year ago. Junior guard Fontana Tate and freshman guard Jamie Jackson led NSU with 10 points each. Senior forward Carrington Fox posted a career-high 10 rebounds to go along with five points, five assists and three blocks in 31 minutes. NSU shot just 31 percent (18-for-59) from the field and 21 percent (3-for-14) from downtown. LU posted a 43-percent shooting average (21-for-49) and connected on 35 percent (6-for-17) from distance. Lindenwood outrebounded NSU 39-36 and made four more free throws (15 to 11) than the RiverHawks.
 
AN HISTORIC DEFENSIVE EFFORT
The RiverHawks held both Arkansas-Fort Smith and Southeastern Oklahoma State to 39 points on Nov. 26 and No. 30, respectively. The total for SEOSU was the lowest since Feb. 24, 2005, and the total for the Lady Lions was the lowest for the team in its NCAA history. This was the first time since Feb. 24-26, 2005 that NSU has held back-to-back opponents to fewer than 40 points.
 
TATE TAKES THE REIGNS
Fontana Tate has been the player to step up and be the top scorer for NSU this season after the team lost its top three scorers from a year ago. The junior guard has already scored a career-high 18 points on two occasions and has scored in double figures in all but two games. She has also led NSU in scoring in four games. She is shooting 45 percent from the field and 40 percent from downtown this year.
 
FOX AT HOME
Carrington Fox is the lone senior on this year's NSU women's basketball team. With that distinction comes honor of carrying a pretty dominant home-court advantage. Last year's seniors were 46-3 in their home careers, and Fox is currently 38-3 in Tahlequah. She finished her career 35-2 inside Jack Dobbins Field House, and she is 3-1 inside the NSU Event Center.
 
NSU's GIPSON IN 15TH SEASON
NSU's Randy Gipson (Kentucky, '79) is in his 15th season as the RiverHawks head coach. He entered the year with a 278-130 record at NSU. He has never recorded a losing season in his 14 prior campaigns at Northeastern State, and he has led the program to seven appearances in the NCAA Championship. His NSU women's basketball teams have earned two NCAA Sweet 16 appearances (2004, '10), while advancing to the NCAA Second Round each of the last two seasons (2011-12). Gipson came to Northeastern State in 1999-00, and he captured six Lone Star Conference North Division Championships in a 12-year span. He also led NSU to the 2003 LSC Tournament Championship, while finishing runner up in the conference tournament on three occasions (2004, '05, '10). He has coached two All-Americans (Jasmine Webb, Taylor Lewis), one MIAA Player of the Year, two LSC Players of the Year and numerous all-conference players during his tenure at Northeastern State.The 2012-13 campaign was the first for the RiverHawks in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association, and the squad finished second in the regular season with a 14-4 league mark. The team landed in the top 10 nationally in six statistical categories, including fewest turnovers per game (3rd), fewest personal fouls per game (4th), three-point field-goal percentage (7th), assist-turnover ratio (9th), scoring defense (10th), and three-point field goals per game (10th). He began his career at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M (NEO), where he spent 11 years leading the Lady Norse. He took NEO to a National Runner-up finish in 1991, and he was named Region II Coach of the Year three times.
 
SEASON TICKETS ON SALE
The NSU Athletics Department announced its season ticket packages for the home portion of the men's and women's basketball schedule. Adult general admission prices can be purchased for $125, and the season chair back seats are $200. Season ticket holders receive the benefit of sitting in comfortable chair back seats. They also receive first option to purchase playoff tickets, premier seating for NSU's 13 home games, excellent view of the playing surface and premier seating in the new 78,200 square foot multipurpose event center. New for 2013 is the $25 single-game Family 4-Pack, which includes two general admission adult tickets and two general admission student tickets (ages 4 through high school). The Family 4-Pack may be purchased at any time and used at any regular season home game. All Northeastern State home men's and women's basketball games are contested at the NSU Event Center.
 
ID'S REQUIRED FOR ENTRY IN 2013
All fans wishing to attend an NSU home football or basketball contest this season will be required to show a ticket prior to entering the facilities. NSU students and faculty/staff will still be allowed free admittance, but NSU ID's will no longer be accepted as a form of entry. Tickets can be purchased at NSU's new ticketing Web site, goriverhawkstickets.com. NSU students and faculty/staff can access goriverhawkstickets.com and secure their free tickets (either printable or downloaded to your smart phone) through their goNSU accounts. For questions regarding ticket options, please contact Brynn Hamner at 918.444.3901.
 
GO RIVERHAWKS GEAR
Northeastern State University Athletics has partnered with Advanced-Online and has launced its new, one-of-a-kind online shopping site, goriverhawksgear.com. NSU fans have another avenue for acquiring Northeastern State apparel and accessories. The store is loaded with options for fans of all ages, ranging from T-shirts, polos and sweatshirts, to home office supplies, drinkware and kitchen essentials. Every item is branded with official Northeastern State athletics and university logos, and select RiverHawks gear and accessories are customizable. The new online store can be accessed by simply visiting www.goriverhawksgear.com. The shop can also be viewed by clicking on the shopping cart at the top right of www.goriverhawksgo.com, the static graphic underneath the main picture or the rotating horizontal carousel just above the video player.
 
GIPSON SIGNS GRIFFIN DURING EARLY PERIOD
Northeastern State women's basketball coach Randy Gipson announced the signing of Miranda Griffin to a National Letter of Intent during the early period. Griffin, a native of Ketchum, Okla., is currently competing at Ketchum High School and is the first signee for the class of 2014. "Miranda brings an excellent offensive skill package to our program," Gipson said. "She can handle the ball well, she can pass effectively and she can score. We are excited to have her join us." As a junior in 2012-13, Griffin averaged 15.8 points per game and posted 8.3 rebounds per game. She had 150 steals and led all Oklahoma high schools with 274 assists, averaging 9.8 per game. She has already surpassed 1,000 career points at the prep level and even registered a quadruple-double (22 points, 13 assists, 11 rebounds, 10 steals) last year.