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TAHLEQUAH, Okla. – The Northeastern State women's basketball team will close out the fall half of the season with a road tilt at Central Missouri. The RiverHawks (6-4, 2-1 MIAA) and Jennies (7-3, 1-1 MIAA) are set for a 1 p.m. tipoff Dec. 20 inside UCM's Multipurpose Building (6,500) in Warrensburg, Missouri.

Both teams are currently receiving votes in the national polls. UCM is 3-0 against NSU since the RiverHawks joined the NCAA in 1996-97. The Jennies topped Northeastern State 63-52 on Jan. 9, 2013, in Warrensburg and also took down NSU in Tahlequah on Dec. 21 of last year (84-73). UCM ended Northeastern State's 2013-14 season with a 79-65 victory in the MIAA Championship quarterfinals.

Central Missouri was selected in the preseason MIAA coaches poll to finish fifth in the conference, while NSU was picked eighth.
 

(RV) Northeastern State's Probable Starters
F	20	Sara Fountain	5-11	Fr-HS	5.6 ppg, 3.4 rpg	Ketchum, Okla.
G	04	Fontana Tate	5-5	Sr-3L	10.8 ppg, 4.3 rpg	Muldrow, Okla.
G	05	Kate Bellamy	5-9	Jr-2L	8.4 ppg, 3.6 rpg	NSW, Australia
G	14	Alexis Hill	5-6	Fr-HS	6.3 ppg, 3.3 rpg	Garland, Texas
G	21	Chelsey Beathard	5-8	Sr-3L	11.2 ppg, 3.5 rpg	Pryor, Okla.
(RV) Central Missouri's Probable Starters
F	25	Revonnia Howard	6-3	Sr.	13.5 ppg, 9.7 rpg	Chicago, Ill.
G	03	Jasmine Thompson	5-8	Sr.	14.2 ppg, 5.3 rpg	Chicago, Ill.
G	12	Justina Prairie Chief	5-8	Sr.	13.3 ppg, 5.4 rpg	El Reno, Okla.
G	20	Breonna Embray	5-7	Sr.	3.4 ppg, 1.6 rpg	St. Joseph, Mo.
G	23	Shelby Winkelmann	5-9	Jr.	17.4 ppg, 2.7 rpg	Rhineland, Mo.

SCOUTING THE JENNIES
The University of Central Missouri is located in Warrensburg, Missouri, and the Jennies are members of the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association. UCM is 7-3 overall and 1-1 in the conference. The team has lost to Minnesota State (70-68), Fort Hays State (76-75 OT) and Drury (73-70). Most recently, the Jennies took down Central Oklahoma 63-58. Four members of the team score in double figures, including Shelby Winkelmann at 17.4 ppg. Jasmine Thompson is second in scoring (14.2 ppg, 5.3 rpg), and Revonnia Howard is the leading rebounder (13.5 ppg, 9.7 rpg). Justina Prairie Chief averages 13.3 ppg and 5.4 rpg.
 
THE LAST TIME OUT - MWSU 68, (RV) NSU 35
The RiverHawks saw its four-game win streak come to a halt following a 68-35 loss to Missouri Western State Thursday evening inside MWSU Fieldhouse. The RiverHawks (6-4, 2-1 MIAA) were held to their lowest scoring output since midway through the 1998-99 season, when they lost 48-35 to Southwestern Oklahoma State. Kate Bellamy led all scorers with a career-high-tying 15 points. She was 4 of 8 from the field and a perfect 7-for-7 at the free-throw line. NSU shot just 25 percent (10-for-40) from the field, 16.7 percent (3-for-18) from behind the 3-point line and 57.1 percent (12-for-21) at the free-throw line. MWSU shot 48.2 percent (27-for-56) from the field, 35.7 percent (5-for-14) from distance and 45 percent (9-for-20) at the charity stripe. Sarafina Handy paced the Griffons with 13 points. Alex Saxen added 11, while Ariana Novak and Milly Koyamainavure chipped in 10. The RiverHawks committed a season-high 20 turnovers, while the Griffons had just 14. NSU was also outrebounded 44-28. MWSU led in all specialty categories, including points in the paint (34-12), points off turnovers (22-5), second-chance points (17-4) and bench points (24-6). The 33-point loss was the largest in NSU's NCAA era (since 1996-97), and Northeastern State has now scored fewer than 40 points just four times in the Randy Gipson era (since 1999-00).
 
THE LAST TIME THEY MET - #8 UCM 79, NSU 65
NSU saw its 2013-14 campaign come to a close with a 79-65 loss to No. 8 Central Missouri in the quarterfinals of the 2014 MIAA Championship on March 6. The No. 9-seeded RiverHawks advanced to Municipal Auditorium for the second-straight year, and they also fell in the quarterfinals for the second-straight year. Chelsey Beathard led NSU with 15 points. Fontana Tate and Che'Ron Lewis both added 10 points. Carrington Fox tallied four points, five rebounds, four blocks, and two assists in her final collegiate game. NSU shot 48.9 percent (23-for-47) from the field, 44.4 percent (8-for-18) from behind the 3-point line and 73.3 percent (11-for-15) at the free-throw line. UCM shot 56.6 percent (30-for-53) overall, 55 percent (11-for-20) from downtown and 72.7 percent (8-for-11) at the line. BreAnna Lewis paced the Jennies with 21 points, 19 of which came in the second half. MIAA Player of the Year Keuna Flax registered 17 points, Shelby Winkelmann had 16 and Quinnecia Twine added 12 off the bench.
 
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 17 votes on November 25. Northeastern State is currently 6-3 on the season and on a four-game win streak.
 
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.