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TAHLEQUAH, Okla. – The Northeastern State women's basketball team heads on the road for a pair of MIAA matchups to wrap up the fall portion of the 2014-15 campaign. The RiverHawks (6-3, 2-0 MIAA) will first meet Missouri Western State (5-2, 0-1 MIAA) at 5:30 p.m. Dec. 18 at MWSU Fieldhouse (3,270) in St. Joseph, Missouri.

NSU is currently on a four-game win streak, and the team will be looking for its first five-game win streak since midway through the 2012-13 season. Northeastern State holds a 5-0 record over the Griffons since the RiverHawks joined the NCAA in 1996-97. The last meeting between the schools came in Tahlequah last season (Dec. 19, 2013), with NSU earning a 57-42 victory.

The last time Northeastern State traveled to St. Joseph was on Feb. 2, 2013, and the RiverHawks earned a 73-56 triumph. Missouri Western State actually defeated the RiverHawks 56-40 on Nov. 21, 2006, but the Griffons were forced to vacate the win. Missouri Western State was selected in the preseason MIAA coaches poll to finish 11th in the conference, while NSU was picked eighth.
 

(RV) Northeastern State's Probable Starters
F	20	Sara Fountain	5-11	Fr-HS	5.7 ppg, 3.7 rpg	Ketchum, Okla.
G	04	Fontana Tate	5-5	Sr-3L	11.2 ppg, 4.4 rpg	Muldrow, Okla.
G	05	Kate Bellamy	5-9	Jr-2L	7.7 ppg, 3.4 rpg	NSW, Australia
G	14	Alexis Hill	5-6	Fr-HS	7.0 ppg, 3.4 rpg	Garland, Texas
G	21	Chelsey Beathard	5-8	Sr-3L	12.2 ppg, 3.7 rpg	Pryor, Okla.
Missouri Western State's Probable Starters
F	03	Tiara Hall	6-1	Sr.	7.4 ppg, 7.1 rpg	Paris, Texas
F	23	Mhykeah Baez	6-1	Jr.	6.9 ppg, 5.4 rpg	San Antonio, Texas
G	01	LaQuinta Jefferson	6-0	Jr.	18.6 ppg, 2.9 rpg	Murfreesboro, Tenn.
G	05	Sarafina Handy	5-9	Jr.	13.1 ppg, 1.7 rpg	Flossmoor, Ill.
G	22	Chelsea Dewey	5-8	So.	5.9 rpg, 3.7 apg	Gower, Mo.

SCOUTING THE GRIFFONS
Missouri Western State University is located in St. Joseph, Missouri, and the Griffons are members of the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association. MWSU owns a 5-2 record with key wins over Rockhurst (71-69), Evangel (75-41) and Maryville (74-64). The team's two losses have come to Quincy (77-70) and Fort Hays State (81-57). The Griffons are undefeated at home this season (4-0) and are led in scoring by LaQuinta Jefferson (18.6 ppg). Sarafina Handy is second in scoring at 13.1 ppg, while Tiara Hall leads the squad in rebounding at 7.1 rpg (7.4 ppg).
 
THE LAST TIME OUT - NSU 64, RSU 56
The RiverHawks earned a 64-56 victory over Rogers State Saturday afternoon inside the Claremore Expo Center. The RiverHawks (6-3) ended their non-conference schedule by winning their fourth-straight contest. This was the first meeting between the two programs. Chelsey Beathard led all scorers with 17 points. She has now scored in double figures in her last four outings. Fontana Tate added 13 points, six assists and four rebounds, while Mya Walker chipped in 12 points off the bench. The RiverHawks shot 44.2 percent (23-for-52) from the field, 36.4 percent (8-for-22) from 3-point territory and 66.7 percent (10-for-15) at the free-throw line. RSU shot 29.3 percent (17-for-58) from the field, which was the lowest output of the season against NSU. The Hillcats also shot 17.2 percent (5-for-29) from deep and 70.8 percent (17-for-24) at the free-throw line.
 
THE LAST TIME THEY MET - NSU 57, MWSU 42
NSU defeated Missouri Western State 57-42 on Dec. 19, 2013, inside the NSU Event Center. The RiverHawks needed career highs from two freshmen in order to get the job done, but they were able to crank up the defense late and hold the Griffons to a season low in points. Courtney Cowan led NSU with 14 points. She was only 2-for-7 from the field, but she made 8 of 12 from the free-throw line. Mya Walker added 12 points, and both players chipped in five rebounds. The RiverHawks shot 29 percent (15-for-52) from the field and hit just 3 of 17 (18 percent) from beyond 3-point territory. They won the game on the free-throw line, however, converting 24 of 33 (73 percent). Missouri Western State shot 31 percent (16-for-52) from the field, 16 percent (3-for-19) from downtown and 33 percent (7-for-21) from the line. Quenisha Lockett posted a double-double with a game-high 19 points and 10 rebounds. She was all on her own, however, as no other member of the team had more than six points. NSU led just 23-22 at halftime, and the RiverHawks ended on an 11-2 run to win by the 15-point margin.
 
RIVERHAWKS BACK IN THE NATIONAL POLLS
The NSU women's basketball team received 17 votes in this week's USA Today Division II Women's Basketball Top 25 Coaches' Polls, it was announced December 16. This marks the second time NSU received votes, as the RiverHawks picked up eight votes on November 25. Northeastern State is currently 6-3 on the season and on a four-game win streak.
 
NSU's GIPSON IN 16TH SEASON
NSU's Randy Gipson (Kentucky, '79) is in his 16th season as the RiverHawks head coach. He entered the year with a 289-146 record at NSU. He has recorded 14 winning seasons at Northeastern State, and he has led the program to seven appearances in the NCAA Championship. His NSU women's basketball teams have earned two NCAA Sweet 16 appearances (2004, '10), while advancing to the NCAA Second Round each of the last two seasons (2011-12). Gipson came to Northeastern State in 1999-00, and he captured six Lone Star Conference North Division Championships in a 12-year span. He also led NSU to the 2003 LSC Tournament Championship, while finishing runner up in the conference tournament on three occasions (2004, '05, '10). He has coached two All-Americans (Jasmine Webb, Taylor Lewis), one MIAA Player of the Year, two LSC Players of the Year and numerous all-conference players during his tenure at Northeastern State.The 2012-13 campaign was the first for the RiverHawks in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association, and the squad finished second in the regular season with a 14-4 league mark. The team landed in the top 10 nationally in six statistical categories, including fewest turnovers per game (3rd), fewest personal fouls per game (4th), three-point field-goal percentage (7th), assist-turnover ratio (9th), scoring defense (10th), and three-point field goals per game (10th). The 2013-14 team placed eighth overall in the conference and advanced to the MIAA Championship quarterfinals. He began his career at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M (NEO), where he spent 11 years leading the Lady Norse. He took NEO to a National Runner-up finish in 1991, and he was named Region II Coach of the Year three times.
 
NSU SELECTED 8TH IN MIAA PRESEASON POLLS
The Northeastern State women's basketball team was picked to finish eighth in the MIAA by the league coaches. The RiverHawks earned 83 points and are projected to finish one place higher than their ninth-place effort from a season ago. Emporia State topped the coaches' poll with 160 points total and five first-place votes. Northeastern State finished 11-17 last season and 7-12 in the MIAA. The RiverHawks return their two top scorers in senior guards Fontana Tate (11.2 ppg) and Chelsey Beathard (9.0 ppg).
 
THE STARTING FIVE
Randy Gipson-coached teams are usually known for consistency at the top of the lineup. The past two years, however, have been much different for Northeastern State. The team utilized 10 different starting lineups last season and used seven different lineups in the first seven games in 2014-15. The most recently-used lineup has been used in each of the last three games. That lineup includes Fontana Tate, Chelsey Beathard, Kate Bellamy, Sara Fountain and Alexis Hill. Others on the team to start a game this season include Sarah Sagely, Mya Walker, Danielle Robertson and Bria Pierce.
 
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.