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TAHLEQUAH, Okla. – The Northeastern State men's basketball team will kickoff MIAA action with a pair of road games this weekend. NSU will travel to face Lincoln at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 5 in Jefferson City, Mo., before heading over to St. Charles, Mo., for a 3:30 p.m. tip against Lindenwood. The RiverHawks defeated the Blue Tigers 57-45 on the MIAA Network last season and lost 78-66 to the Lions in Tahlequah a year ago.

(RV) Northeastern State's Probable Starters
F	10	Landon DeMasters	6-4, 200	Jr-1L	8.7 ppg, 3.9 rpg	Van Alstyne, Texas
F	15	Marcus Sheppard	6-4, 205	Sr-1L	7.3 ppg, 6.0 rpg	Vivian, La.
F	22	Curtis Evans	6-7, 215	Jr-TR	9.3 ppg, 9.7 rpg	Springdale, Ark.
G	03	Bryton Hobbs	6-0, 170	Sr-1L	23.6 ppg, 5.6 rpg	St. Louis, Mo.
G	20	Dalen Qualls	6-1, 180	Jr-TR	7.6 ppg, 1.1 apg	Stratford, Okla.
Lincoln's Probable Starters
F	32	Mike Smith	6-6, 210	Jr.	15.0 ppg, 4.3 rpg	Bronx, N.Y.
F	33	James Edmond	6-8, 235	Sr.	5.5 ppg, 4.1 rpg	Edwardsville, Ill.
F	42	Charles Cole	6-7, 195	Sr.	9.0 ppg, 4.5 rpg	Lancaster, Calif.
G	01	Joshua Buie	6-1, 180	Jr.	14.4 ppg, 4.1 apg	O'Fallon, Ill.
G	04	Jeremy Jackson	5-9, 150	So.	3.3 ppg, 0.9 apg	Memphis, Tenn.

 
SCOUTING THE BLUE TIGERS
Lincoln enters league play with a 2-6 record. The squad has defeated McKendree and Talledega (triple OT), while falling to notables Arkansas Tech, Henderson State, Rockhurst, and Maryville. The Blue Tigers are led in scoring by Mike Smith, who averages 15.0 ppg. Charles Cole (9.0 ppg, 4.5 rpg) is the top rebounder, and Joshua Buie is second in scoring at 14.4 ppg. Clay Crouch has posted a 13.6 ppg average, but he missed the team's last game.
 
HOBBS LEADS THE WAY
Senior guard Bryton Hobbs is currently leading the entire MIAA and is 19th in the nation in points per game (23.6). He is also 13th nationally in total points scored and ranks seventh in the league in assists (4.9) and fifth in minutes played (33.1). Hobbs has scored at least 20 points in all but one game this season and also has two double-digit rebounding efforts and four games with at least five helpers. He has led the RiverHawks in scoring and assists in every game so far this season, and he has also led in rebounding three times, steals three times and blocks once.
 
HOBBS EARNS POSTSEASON ACCOLADES
Bryton Hobbs returns for his senior season after exploding onto the scene in his first year with the RiverHawks in 2012-13. He was named a 2013 Division II Bulletin All-American Honorable Mention, and he also landed on the 2013 National Association of Basketball Coaches' (NABC) All-Central District First Team and the 2013 Daktronics Central Region Second Team. Hobbs was a member of the 2013 All-MIAA First Team.
 
MIAA CHAMPIONSHIP IN KC
The 2013 MIAA Women's Basketball Championship is set to take place inside Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Mo. The top 12 teams in the regular season all qualify for postseason play, with the top four earning byes to Kansas City. The first round will be contested at host sites March 4, with the fifth seed hosting No. 12, the sixth seed hosting No. 11, etc. Those four winners will join the top four seeds in KC March 7-9.
 
NORTHEASTERN STATE CURRENTLY RECEIVING VOTES
Northeastern State is currently receiving six votes in the latest NABC/Division II national rankings. NSU began the season as the No. 17-ranked team in the nation and vaulted as high as No. 10 before plummeting out of the national polls. The RiverHawks earned a top-25 rank in the first three installments.
 
STARTING OFF RIGHT
NSU began the season with decisive victories over Ecclesia (102-65) and Hillsdale Free Will Baptist (101-61). The two-game outburst marked the first time in the Larry Gipson era that an NSU squad has scored 100 points in back-to-back games. It also the first time since the 2000-01 campaign that NSU recorded multiple 100-point games in the same season. Those that scored in double figures in those games were Bryton Hobbs (both games), Landon DeMasters (2), Keon Littleton (2), Michael Harmon (2), Curtis Evans, and Marcus Sheppard.
 
RIVERHAWKS EARN PRESEASON RANK OF #10
The Northeastern State men's basketball team was slotted at No. 10 in the 2013-14 preseason rankings by Division II Bulletin. The RiverHawks are coming off a 2012-13 campaign where they finished 19-9 overall and competed in the NCAA Championship tournament for the first time in 10 years. Division II Bulletin has selected a preseason Top 25 every year since 1991 and is celebrating its 23rd anniversary this season. NSU was selected as the top team in the MIAA and the second-highest team in the Central Region (Minnesota State). Bryton Hobbs was selected, along with Dwayne Brunson of Fort Hays State, as the two members from the Central Region to be named DIIB Super 16 selections.
 
NSU RETURNS TO NATIONAL SPOTLIGHT
The RiverHawks returned to the NCAA Championship tournament in 2012-13 after taking a 10-year hiatus after winning the national championship in 2003. NSU earned the No. 7 seed in the Central Region championship and matched up with No. 2 Winona State in the opening round of the tournament. The team fell to the Warriors 70-57 despite 17 points from Bryton Hobbs and a double-double (16 points, 10 rebounds) from Jermaine Bransford.
 
NSU FINISHES THIRD IN INAUGURAL MIAA CAMPAIGN
Northeastern State finished with a 12-6 record in its first season in the MIAA. The RiverHawks tied for third place with Lindenwood and Washburn. Fort Hays State and Central Missouri (13-5) split the regular-season crown. NSU was selected to finish 14th in the conference last 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, 2013. 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.
 
NSU's GIPSON IN 17TH SEASON
NSU's Larry Gipson (Heidelberg College, '74) is in his 17th season as the RiverHawks head coach. The long-time leader of the men's basketball program enters the year with a 264-188 record over his illustrious career at NSU. He is second all-time in school history behind only Jack Dobbins (314 wins) in career wins, and his .584 winning percentage is the best in school history. He reached the 100- and 200-win milestones faster than any other coach in school history. Gipson has posted nine winning seasons in his time at NSU, and those include five 20-win campaigns and a national championship in 2002-03 (32-3 record). He has also led Northeastern State to five appearances in the NCAA tournament (1999-03, 2013). The 2003 NCAA title was the first for Northeastern State in any sport and the first national championship won in RiverHawks basketball history. Gipson was inducted into the NSU Athletic Hall of Fame in 2004 for his outstanding coaching feat. Gipson and Nolan Richardson are the only two head coaches ever to lead teams to a national championship at both the NCAA and NJCAA level. Gipson, Richardson and Ray Harper (NCAA D-II, NAIA) are the only three coaches in college basketball history to win national titles at two different levels.
 
THE NEW EVENT CENTER
The Northeastern State basketball programs have opened play in the new 78,200 square foot NSU Event Center. The newly-constructed facility houses the basketball offices and the NSU athletic administration. The project has cost north of $17 million and the arena is located adjacent to Doc Wadley Stadium on the north side of the NSU campus. The RiverHawks began play in the new arena on Nov. 9, 2013, and they picked up a 102-65 victory over Ecclesia.
 
THE CLOSING OF JDF
The 2012-13 campaign was the final season in legendary Jack Dobbins Field House. The men and women closed out the building in style, as both programs defeated Central Oklahoma in front of a sensational sold out crowd. The men won the game in extraordinary fashion, picking up an 81-73 overtime victory over the Bronchos. Landon DeMasters scored with 13 seconds in regulation to send the game into the extra session, and Bryton Hobbs took over from there. He outscored UCO 8-3 in OT and also added an assist and three rebounds. He finished the contest with a game-high 22 points, nine rebounds and eight assists. Jermaine Bransford (18 points), Ethan Anderson (17) and DeMasters (11) also finished in double figures. Northeastern State finished 11-2 at home last season.
 
NSU SELECTED 4TH IN MIAA PRESEASON POLLS
The Northeastern State men's basketball team was projected to finish fourth in the MIAA by both the league's coaches and media, the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association announced. The RiverHawks earned 127 points and one first-place vote in the preseason coaches' poll, while they picked up 296 points and one first-place vote in the preseason media poll. The first four spots in both polls were the exact same, as Fort Hays State was selected to win the MIAA, while Northwest Missouri State was slotted second and Central Missouri was picked third. Northeastern State is coming off a 2012-13 campaign that saw the club return to the NCAA Championship tournament for the first time in 10 years. NSU finished with a 19-9 record and went 12-6 to finish third in its first season in the MIAA after being picked to finish 14th in the preseason both by the coaches and media.
 
HOBBS, BRANSFORD COLLECT POSTSEASON HONORS
Bryton Hobbs and Jermaine Bransford were both selected to MIAA All-Conference Teams. In his first year as a member of the RiverHawks, Hobbs, a junior guard, averaged 18.2 points per game and was named to the All-MIAA First Team. Bransford, a senior forward, led the league in rebounding and was named to the All-MIAA Second Team. Hobbs is third in the league in scoring and fifth in assists (5.0 apg), while leading the conference in minutes played (34.3 mpg). He has scored in double figures in all but two games this season. He recorded 22 points, nine rebounds and eight assists in NSU's 83-71 overtime victory over Central Oklahoma. He outscored the Bronchos 8-3 in the extra session and played all 45 minutes. Bransford is eighth in the league in scoring (16.0 ppg) and 16th in the nation with 9.7 rebounds per contest (10.8 in conference games). He also leads the MIAA and is 11th in the NCAA in double-doubles (13). In NSU's 67-62 win at Emporia State Feb. 27, Bransford dropped 23 points and recorded career highs with 20 rebounds and five steals. The 20 rebounds were the most by any player in the MIAA this season and were two shy of tying the most by anyone in the country.
 
WELCOME TO THE NEW LEAGUE
Northeastern State is currently in its second season as members of the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association. The RiverHawks opened league play Dec. 5, 2013 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.
 
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.