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TAHLEQUAH, Okla. – The Northeastern State women's basketball team finishes off its three-game homestand when the team plays host to Missouri Southern State. The RiverHawks (16-6, 11-3 MIAA) will face the Lions (11-10, 5-8 MIAA) at 5:30 p.m. Feb. 13 inside Jack Dobbins Field House (1,000).
 
Northeastern State owns a 6-4 record over the Lions since the RiverHawks joined the NCAA in 1996-97, which includes a 69-45 triumph earlier this year in Joplin.
 
The Lions were selected in the preseason MIAA coaches poll to finish ninth in the conference, while NSU was picked fourth.

(RV) Northeastern State's Probable Starters
F	24	Sarah Green	5-9	Sr-3L	7.8 ppg, 5.7 rpg	Tulsa, Okla.
F	44	Carrington Fox	5-11	Jr-2L	4.8 ppg, 4.5 rpg	Tulsa, Okla.
G	4	Fontana Tate	5-5	So-1L	6.7 ppg, 3.4 rpg	Muldrow, Okla.
G	10	Taylor Lewis	5-7	Sr-3L	15.8 ppg, 2.6 rpg	Broken Arrow, Okla.
G	12	Tosha Tyler	5-7	Sr-3L	11.2 ppg, 3.8 rpg	Vinita, Okla.
Missouri Southern State's Probable Starters
F	25	Samantha Soyez	5-11	Jr.	3.4 ppg, 2.0 apg	Goddard, Kan.
C	34	Shonte Clay	6-2	Jr.	7.5 ppg, 5.0 rpg	Chicago, Ill.
G	4	Nicole Hartzog	5-7	So.	5.6 ppg, 1.3 rpg	Beaverton, Ore.
G	22	Jolee Sharp	5-9	Jr.	6.9 ppg, 3.4 rpg	Fort Scott, Kan.
G	23	Tee Singleton	5-6	Jr.	5.6 ppg, 3.4 rpg	Harvey, La.

SCOUTING THE LIONS
Missouri Southern State is 11-10 overall and 5-8 in the MIAA. The Lions have lost seven of their last eight contests, with the lone win coming against Southwest Baptist (69-63). The team is 2-5 on the road this season and led in scoring by non-starter Dominique Mosley (9.0 ppg). She is also second on the team in rebounding (4.9 rpg). Erin Rice is second in scoring (8.9 ppg), while Shonte Clay is the team's leading rebounder (5.0 rpg).
 
LEWIS LIGHTS UP
Senior guard Taylor Lewis has scored in double figures in all but two games this season, but she has been especially hot over the last 16 games. Ever since a 21-point outburst against Emporia State on Dec. 5, Lewis has averaged 17.3 points per game (277 total) with shooting percentages of 48.7 from the field (93-for-191), 51.9 from downtown (55-for-106) and 90.0 from the free-throw line (36-for-40). For the season, Lewis is averaging 15.8 points per game to rank second in the MIAA. She is also the league's second-leading scorer during conference games at 17.4 ppg.
 
WHERE THEY STAND
Northeastern State currently owns an 11-3 record in its first season in the MIAA. The RiverHawks are in third place, a game behind league leader Washburn (11-1). Central Missouri sits in second at 11-2. NSU was selected to finish fourth in the conference this season by both the media and the league coaches.
 
NSU KNOCKS OFF 5 RANKED FOES
NSU has defeated five ranked opponents this season. The RiverHawks have knocked off No. 9 Washburn (52-43), No. 10 Fort Hays State (54-44), No. 18 Pittsburg State (65-50), No. 19 Truman State (46-44), and No. 21 Emporia State (63-51). In all five upset victories, the green and white has held its opponent to a season low in scoring and no worse than the second-worst shooting percentage of the season up to that point.
 
NORTHEASTERN STATE BACK IN THE POLLS
The NSU women's basketball team received five votes in the latest USA Today Division II Women's Basketball Top 25 Coaches' Polls, released Feb. 12. NSU has been ranked or received votes in six polls this season, and the team was No. 23 in the preseason.
 
SENIORS FEEL RIGHT AT HOME
NSU has three seniors on this year's squad in Sarah Green, Taylor Lewis and Tosha Tyler. The trio of stars has been part of four years of dominance inside Jack Dobbins Field House. The RiverHawks are 9-0 at home this season and 44-3 over the career of the three veterans.
 
ONE OF THE BEST IN BALL CONTROL
The first NCAA statistics were released Dec. 2, and Northeastern State ranked as the top team in the country in terms of fewest committed turnovers per game. The most recent national rankings were released Feb. 10, and the RiverHawks are currently ranked fourth in the nation at just 12.0 turnovers per game this season. NSU recorded a season-low five turnovers against Pittsburg State (Jan. 23, 2013).
 
SAME STARTING FIVE
The RiverHawks have used just three starting lineups all season. The first eight games featured a starting group of three seniors (guards Taylor Lewis and Tosha Tyler, forward Sarah Green) and two juniors (forward Carrington Fox and guard Katy Harsen). The last 13 games have seen a starting lineup of Lewis, Green, Tyler, Fox, and sophomore guard Fontana Tate. The only other starting lineup utilized this year came Dec. 14 at University of Arkansas - Fort Smith when Lewis, Green, Fox, and Tate were joined by sophomore guard Chelsey Stricklen.
 
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