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TAHLEQUAH, Okla. – Tosha Tyler recorded a rare four-point play with 24.9 seconds left to lift the Northeastern State women's basketball team to a 46-44 upset win over No. 19 Truman State Saturday afternoon inside Jack Dobbins Field House.
 
The RiverHawks (16-6, 11-3 MIAA) trailed for the majority of the contest but were able to fight back and pick up their eighth win in their last nine outings.
 
The Bulldogs (16-5, 9-4 MIAA) became the fifth ranked foe to fall at the hands of Northeastern State this year. The RiverHawks have also knocked off No. 9 Washburn, No. 10 Fort Hays State, No. 18 Pittsburg State, and No. 21 Emporia State. In all five wins, NSU held its opponent to its season low in points.
 
NSU has rematches with the PSU and ESU on the road on Feb. 16 and Feb. 23, respectively.
 
The RiverHawks trailed for the first three quarters of the contest but never fell behind by more than seven points. A triple from senior guard Taylor Lewis with 6:12 remaining in the game gave NSU its first lead at 36-34.
 
The Bulldogs answered with a three of their own when Allie Norton canned a trey at the 5:01 mark.
 
Senior forward Sarah Green made a layup and junior forward Carrington Fox knocked down a free throw on consecutive possessions to push NSU ahead 39-37 with 3:09 to play, but the advantage exchanged hands again at 1:23 when Amy Briggs swished a three.
 
Norton made four-straight free throws to hold Northeastern State at bay, and the home side found itself trailing 44-41 with 33 seconds left.
 
On the next possession, sophomore guard Fontana Tate found the ball at the top of the key and passed to Tyler over on the wing. She hesitated for a split second to get separation, and she used the extra room to hoist up a three.
 
She was slapped on the arm by TSU's Megan Sharpe, and the ball sailed straight through the hoop just as the official was blowing his whistle to signal the foul.
 
Tyler calmly stepped up to the free-throw line to add the go-ahead point, and two empty possessions by the Bulldogs were all the home team needed to record the upset win.
 
Green was the lone member of the green and white to score in double figures, as she finished with 11. Norton led Truman State with 20 points, and Becka McHenry added 10.
 
Northeastern State will remain at home for a 5:30 p.m. tilt Feb. 13 with Missouri Southern State. NSU defeated MSSU 69-45 in Joplin, Mo., on Jan. 26
 
NORTHEASTERN STATE COACH RANDY GIPSON
On the game…
“It was a tough game. I don't think either team was able to develop any offensive rhythm. That's a credit to both teams' defense. Certainly Truman came in here and really played a tough game, especially on the defensive end. This was one of those games that nobody ever had control of. We got a break, and we made a play. I'm happy my senior player stepped up and made a play at the end of the game. That's what it takes to get big wins sometimes and to compete in a league race. I'm proud of Tosha for stepping up and making a play after a game that was just a struggle for us offensively.”
 
On if the play was designed for Tyler to shoot a three…
”We run a motion offense. We're trying to screen and get Tosha the ball. She's one of our top options. The ball came to her. She made a good fake to get herself clear. That's all you're trying to do in that situation. That's what you're hoping for, and the good fortune occurs when she gets hit, a foul gets called and the ball goes in to give us a chance at a four-point play. Sometimes the basketball gods smile on you, and I guess they did on that play.”
 
On how Truman State was able to shut down NSU's offense…
“This is a conference pennant race, and Truman State had a great game plan. They were very determined because they were coming off a loss in which they didn't play very well. This is a darn good team, and I feared they were going to come in here with a super-determined effort, and they did. They took the game to us in a lot of ways, but we hung around. Our defense kept us in it. I thought we defended pretty soundly all game. We hung around and had a whisp of a chance at the end. I'm really proud of our kids to show the grit that it takes to win a game like that.”
 
NORTHEASTERN STATE SENIOR GUARD TOSHA TYLER
On the four-point play..
“I didn't even have time to think about it. (Fontana Tate) threw it to me, and the pass went right over the defender's hand. I was going to drive in, but I knew we needed a three. So I just kind of stopped and shot it. She hit my hand, and it somehow still went in.”
 
-GoRiverHawksGo.com-