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TAHLEQUAH, Okla. – The Northeastern State men's basketball team is set for a home contest against Emporia State at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 22 inside the NSU Event Center (3,100). The RiverHawks (11-5, 6-3 MIAA) are sliding down the MIAA rankings lately, having lost three of their last four games, while the Hornets (12-6, 5-3 MIAA) have won three in a row.

NSU and ESU are tied at 3-3 since Northeastern State joined the NCAA in 1996-97. The two squads split meetings during the 2005-06 season, the Hornets took both contests in 2006-07 and the RiverHawks won both games a year ago. Emporia State was selected in the preseason MIAA coaches poll to finish ninth, NSU was selected to place fourth.

Northeastern State's Probable Starters
F	15	Marcus Sheppard	6-4, 205	Sr-1L	9.3 ppg, 5.6 rpg	Vivian, La.
F	22	Curtis Evans	6-7, 215	Jr-TR	9.9 ppg, 7.9 rpg	Springdale, Ark.
G	03	Bryton Hobbs	6-0, 170	Sr-1L	24.0 ppg, 5.7 apg	St. Louis, Mo.
G	05	Keon Littleton	6-1, 185	Jr-TR	8.6 ppg, 4.2 rpg	DeSoto, Texas
G	20	Dalen Qualls	6-1, 180	Jr-TR	10.1 ppg, 1.1 rpg	Stratford, Okla.
Emporia State's Probable Starters
F	01	Gavin Brown	6-5, 215	Sr.	6.5 ppg, 6.7 rpg	Junction City, Kan.
C	32	Paul Bunch	6-11, 250	Sr.	9.2 ppg, 5.3 rpg	Chicago, Ill.
G	00	Kaleb Wright	6-4, 200	Sr.	18.1 ppg, 5.2 rpg	Chicago, Ill.
G	03	Tyler Jordan	6-2, 175	Fr.	2.5 ppg, 2.5 rpg	Ballwin, Mo.
G	11	Terrence Moore	6-2, 170	So.	15.1 ppg, 4.0 rpg	Wichita, Kan.

SCOUTING THE HORNETS
Emporia State sits at 12-6 overall this season with a 5-3 mark in the MIAA. The team has won its last three outings, which includes a 95-77 triumph over Central Missouri. The lone league losses this year have been to Northwest Missouri State (89-68), Missouri Southern State (89-60) and Lindenwood (76-63). ESU is 2-4 on the road this year. Kaleb Wright is fourth in the MIAA in scoring at 18.1 ppg, and Terrence Moore averages 15.1 ppg. Gavin Brown leads ESU in rebounding (6.5 ppg, 6.7 rpg).
 
THE LAST TIME OUT - FHSU 79, NSU 65
NSU got rocked 79-65 by Fort Hays State Jan. 18 inside the NSU Event Center. The RiverHawks continued their recent slide down the conference rankings, as the team has now lost three of their last four outings after starting 5-0 in league play. The Tigers won their sixth in a row. Bryton Hobbs led all scorers with 28 points. He was only 8-for-20 from the field, but he hit three 3-pointers and made 9 of 10 from the free-throw line. He also added eight assists and four rebounds in 40 minutes. The only other member of the team to reach double figures was Landon DeMasters, who finished with 10 points. Craig Nicholson led FHSU with 27 points, seven rebounds, seven assists and four steals. Carson Konrade poured in 16 points and Dwayne Brunson posted 13 points and 12 rebounds. Northeastern State shot 35.2 percent (19-for-54) from the field, 26.1 percent (6-for-23) from downtown and 80.8 percent (21-for-26) at the free-throw line. The Tigers shot 46.6 percent (27-for-58) from the field, 22.2 percent (2-for-9) from the field and 88.5 percent (23-for-26) at the line. Fort Hays State led Northeastern State in rebounding (39-32), turnovers (10-15), steals (10-4), points in the paint (44-26), second-chance points (14-11), blocks (7-1), and fast-break points (12-6).
 
THE LAST TIME THEY MET - NSU 67, ESU 62
Northeastern State outlasted Emporia State 67-62 on Feb. 23, 2013 inside William L. White Auditorium. Jermaine Bransford exploded for 23 points and a career-high 20 rebounds. He also added five steals and three assists, while shooting 9 of 10 from the free-throw line. The 20-rebound effort was the most by any player in the MIAA last season and was the most for Northeastern State in its NCAA Division II era. Bransford was two rebounds shy of tying the nation's top mark for most rebounds by a player in a single game last year. Bryton Hobbs added 14 points and Landon DeMasters poured in 13. NSU outrebounded ESU 33-28, while also winning the turnover battle (11-15). The RiverHawks shot 40 percent (21-for-52) from the field, 46 percent (5-for-11) from distance and 91 percent (20-for-22) at the charity stripe. The home side shot 46 percent (24-for-52) from the field, 40 percent (8-for-20) beyond the arc and 60 percent (6-for-10) at the line. Terrence Moore led Emporia State with 13 points off the bench. Paul Bunch recorded 12 points, seven rebounds and seven blocks, and Gavin Brown added 11 points. Two of ESU's top three scorers, Kaleb Wright and Chris Sights, were both held to single digits and combined for just 16 points.
 
THE 40-POINT EXPLOSION
Bryton Hobbs became the fourth player in the MIAA to reach the 40-point plateau this season when he dropped 40 on Southwest Baptist on Jan. 9. He finished the game 10-for-18 from the field, 4-for-9 from downtown and 16-for-21 from the free-throw line. He also added nine assists and five rebounds. He played the entire game and set career highs in points scored, made field goals, made free throws, and assists. Hobbs would lead the RiverHawks to a 97-91 victory over the Bearcats. He joined Lindenwood's Tyler Ressel (41), SBU's Rashaad Brown-Peterson (40) and Nebraska-Kearney's Connor Beranek (40) as the only 40-point scorers in the MIAA this season. Ressel and Brown-Peterson both posted their totals against non-conference opponent Missouri S&T, while Beranek and Hobbs are the only two to score 40 against an MIAA foe.
 
NORTHEASTERN STATE DROPS OUT OF POLLS
Northeastern State fell out of the most recent NABC/Division II national rankings released Jan. 21. 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 and were receiving votes every week after until the Jan. 21 rankings.
 
HOBBS AGAIN SECURES MIAA WEEKLY HONOR
Bryton Hobbs was honored as the MIAA Men's Basketball Athlete of the Week on Jan. 13. Hobbs dropped 40 points and dished out nine assists in a win over Southwest Baptist on Jan. 9. Against the Bearcats, the MIAA's leading scorer registered career highs in points, assists, made field goals (10), and made free throws (16). He also recorded 20 points against Missouri Southern State. For the week, he averaged 30.0 points, 6.0 assists, 4.5 rebounds and 1.0 blocks. Hobbs became the fourth player in the MIAA to reach the 40-point plateau this season. He joined Lindenwood's Tyler Ressel (41), SBU's Rashaad Brown-Peterson (40) and Nebraska-Kearney's Connor Beranek (40). Ressel and Brown-Peterson both posted their totals against non-conference opponent Missouri S&T, while Beranek (vs. Lindenwood) and Hobbs were the only two to score 40 against an MIAA foe. The St. Louis, Mo., native collected his second weekly honor this season (Dec. 9) and the third of his career. Hobbs and UCO's Josh Gibbs (three times) are the only multiple weekly award winners this season. Northeastern State also joins Central Oklahoma as the only two teams to have a weekly award winner at least two times this season (both now have three). The RiverHawks are the only MIAA squad to have more than one award winner.
 
MIAA CHAMPIONSHIP IN KC
The 2014 MIAA Men'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.
 
ID'S REQUIRED FOR ENTRY IN 2013-14
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.