Box Score

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TAHLEQUAH, Okla. – The Northeastern State men's basketball team earned a 72-56 victory over Truman State Saturday evening at Jack Dobbins Field House.
 
The RiverHawks (16-6, 9-5 MIAA) picked up the season sweep over the Bulldogs (7-14, 4-9 MIAA) after edging TSU 72-71 in the championship game of the QU Holiday Tournament on Dec. 19.
 
NSU shot 54 percent (25-for-46) from the field and 50 percent (10-for-20) from distance, while Truman State was held to 38-percent shooting (22-for-59) overall and 27 percent (6-for-22) from beyond the arc.
 
Neither team shot particularly well at the free-throw line, combining to make just 62 percent (18-for-29).
 
Junior guard Bryton Hobbs led the home side with 28 points, six rebounds and six assists. He shot 8-for-13 from the field, 4-for-7 from downtown and 8-for-10 at the line.
 
Senior forward Jermaine Bransford posted his 12th double-double of the season with 14 points and 10 boards. Senior guard Ethan Anderson finished with 11 points.
 
Mike Carlson and Seth Jackson led the Bulldogs with 13 points each.
 
The two squads played to a 13-13 standstill over the course of the first nine minutes of action, but a jumper from Hobbs at the 10:58 mark sparked a 15-2 run over the next five minutes that gave NSU a 28-15 edge.
 
Truman State quickly went on a 10-0 run of its own to get back within three, but two late buckets from Bransford allowed the home team to walk into the locker room with a 32-25 advantage.
 
The Bulldogs stayed close early in the second half and found themselves trailing just 47-42 with 11:52 left following a jumper by Carlson.
 
Sophomore forward Landon DeMasters drilled a triple at 11:07 that sparked a 17-4 run from the RiverHawks that blew the game wide open. TSU was unable to mount another comeback as NSU secured the 16-point win.
 
The green and white returns to action at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 13 with a home contest against Missouri Southern State.
 
NORTHEASTERN STATE HEAD COACH LARRY GIPSON
On the difference between this game and Thursday's loss to Lindenwood…
”We executed much better offensively. We stayed in our offense and tried to run our offense in a much better fashion. We were much more efficient with our offensive play. On Thursday night, I think we got beat by a very tough-minded team. (Lindenwood is) disciplined and determined, and they run their offense until they get what they want out of it. We panicked a little and shot too quick. I don't think we did that tonight. For the most part, we took good shots and ran our offense pretty well.”
 
On how the team has evolved since the first meeting with Truman State Dec. 19…
“In December, we were both young teams that were trying to feel their way along. I don't think either one of us were good defensively that night. Tonight, we were very good defensively. We took them out of what they wanted to do, and we didn't give them very many easy shots. For the next four games, we're seeing people for the second time. (Truman State) made some adjustments on how they guarded us in the post. In the second half, we handled those pretty well. They were double teaming Jermaine (Bransford), and we made them pay on a couple of instances.”
 
On the upcoming games against teams NSU has already faced…
“The big thing for any team that wants to advance and improve as the season goes on, they've got to focus on the next game and stay in tune with the next game. They can't look at the if's and but's for the upcoming games after the next one. We just have to focus on Missouri Southern State now. You try to anticipate any adjustments the other team might make, and then you just try to build on what we did today and get to the next game.”
 
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