Game Notes  I  Live Stats  I  Live Video  I  Free Audio  I  Tickets

TAHLEQUAH, Okla. – The Northeastern State women's basketball team preps for its final two-game home stand that begins with a 1:30 p.m. contest Feb. 15 against Washburn inside the NSU Event Center (3,100).

The RiverHawks (10-11, 7-7 MIAA) own a 9-3 home record, while the Ichabods (14-8, 9-6 MIAA) are 4-5 on the road. NSU is 2-1 all-time against WU, owning a 56-51 victory in the second round of the NCAA Championship (March 13, 2010) and a 52-43 triumph in Tahlequah last season (Jan. 19, 2013) when Washburn was ranked No. 9 in the country. The Ichabods earned their first victory in the series earlier this season.

WU was selected in the preseason MIAA coaches poll to finish third, while NSU was picked sixth.

Northeastern State's Probable Starters
F	23	Che'Ron Lewis	5-11	Fr-HS	9.1 ppg, 5.6 rpg	Cushing, Okla.
F	44	Carrington Fox	5-11	Sr-3L	6.1 ppg, 5.2 rpg	Tulsa, Okla.
G	04	Fontana Tate	5-5	Jr-2L	11.5 ppg, 4.2 rpg	Muldrow, Okla.
G	05	Kate Bellamy	5-9	So-1L	6.3 ppg, 4.0 rpg	NSW, Australia
G	21	Chelsey Beathard	5-8	Jr-2L	9.3 ppg, 3.1 rpg	Pryor, Okla.
Washburn's Probable Starters
F	30	Brittney Lynch	6-1	Jr.	10.5 ppg, 9.2 rpg	Omaha, Neb.
C	14	Kara Lee	6-4	Sr.	9.8 ppg, 4.1 rpg	Topeka, Kan.
G	03	Casyn Buchman	5-9	Jr.	15.5 ppg, 6.6 rpg	McPherson, Kan.
G	10	Dana Channel	5-10	Jr.	2.4 ppg, 3.7 rpg	Rossville, Kan.
G	11	Allyssa Nikkel	5-8	Jr.	2.2 ppg, 2.3 rpg	Goddard, Kan.

SCOUTING THE ICHABODS
Washburn owns a 14-8 record this season with a 9-6 mark in the MIAA. The Ichabods snapped a three-game losing streak with a 63-59 win at Central Oklahoma on Feb. 13. Prior to the losing skid, WU was rolling on a six-game win streak that included a 60-37 victory over Northeastern State on Jan. 25. Casyn Buchman leads the team in scoring and is second in rebounding (15.5 ppg, 6.6 rpg). Brittney Lynch (10.5 ppg, 9.2 rpg) is the team's leading rebounder, while Taylor Ignoto (13.1 ppg) and Janelle Travis (10.0 ppg, 3.5 apg) also score in double figures.
 
THE LAST TIME OUT - #7 ESU 80, NSU 61
NSU dropped an 80-61 decision to No. 7 Emporia State on Feb. 12 inside White Auditorium. Mya Walker registered a season-best 20 points as she went 7-for-14 from the field and converted all six free-throw attempts. The performance was just the second time all season a member of the team reached 20 points in a game, with the first being Fontana Tate recording 23 in NSU's win over Emporia State on Jan. 22. Northeastern State finished 21-for-53 (39.6 percent) from the field, 2-for-11 (18.2 percent) from behind the three-point line and 17-for-19 (89.5 percent) at the free-throw line. The Lady Hornets were 26-for-64 (40.6 percent) overall, 8-for-20 (40 percent) from downtown and 20-for-27 (74.1 percent) at the charity stripe. Merissa Quick finished with a game-high 23 points, Rheanna Egli added 15 and Desiree Wylie contributed 13 for the home team.
 
THE LAST TIME THEY MET - WU 60, NSU 37
Northeastern State lost 60-37 to Washburn Jan. 25 inside Lee Arena. The point total for NSU was the fewest in a game since scoring 35 against Southwestern Oklahoma State during the 1998-99 season. Chelsey Beathard finished with a team-high 10 points. Carrington Fox played in her 100th career game for Northeastern State. She finished with six points and three rebounds in 27 minutes. NSU shot just 27.5 percent (14-for-51) from the field, 18.2 percent (6-for-33) from behind the three-point line and 37.5 percent (3-for-8) from the free-throw line. Washburn connected on 39.6 percent (21-for-53) from the field, 40 percent (10-for-25) from behind the arc and 72.7 percent (8-for-11) at the charity stripe. Taylor Ignoto led the Ichabods with 15 points, Janelle Travis added 14 points and Brittney Lynch finished with 13 rebounds.
 
MIAA CHAMPIONSHIP FAN LODGING AVAILABLE
The 2014 MIAA Basketball Championships at Kansas City's Municipal Auditorium will be held March 6-9. Fan lodging at the Downtown Marriott is now being accepted for the upcoming event. The fan rate is $137 per night and fans have until Wednesday, February 12 to receive that rate. Lodging is available here: https://resweb.passkey.com/Resweb.do?mode=welcome_ei_new&eventID=10982278. Through this website you can book, modify or cancel your hotel reservations at any time and receive updated information about the event.
 
MIAA CHAMPIONSHIP IN KC
The 2014 MIAA Women'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 3, 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 6, 8-9.
 
IF THE SEASON WERE TO END TODAY
NSU is currently 7-7 in the MIAA standings and are in solo seventh place. If the season were to end today, the RiverHawks would earn the No. 7 seed and would play host to No. 10 seed Central Oklahoma on March 3 in the first round of the MIAA Championship. The winner of that contest would join seven other schools in Kansas City for the remainder of the tournament. Emporia State, Central Missouri, Pittsburg State, and Fort Hays State are all slated to earn the four byes to KC. Northeastern State defeated Central Oklahoma 63-61 in Tahlequah on Feb. 6.
 
GIPSON'S UNCHARTED TERRITORY
Northeastern State currently sits at 10-11 on the season and could potentially finish with a losing record for the first time since the 1998-99 campaign (6-19 that year). NSU coach Randy Gipson took over the reins the following year and has led the RiverHawks to 14-straight winning seasons. He also coached at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M prior to coming to Tahlequah and had winning seasons all nine years in Miami. This would mark the first time in Gipson's historic career that he was unable to lead a team to a winning record.
 
FOX SETS BLOCKS RECORD
Carrington Fox registered a career-high eight blocks on Jan. 16 in a win over Nebraska-Kearney. The block total tied the school record for most in a single game (Kathy Brock vs. John Brown on Dec. 8, 1983). She also finished with nine points, 11 rebounds and five assists. Fox currently has 118 career blocks, and she is three shy of tying Gaile Cook (1989-91) for most blocks in a career in Northeastern State history. She has played in 103 career games, with her 100th appearance coming on the road against Washburn on Jan. 25.
 
THE STARTING FIVE
Randy Gipson-coached teams are usually known for consistency at the top of the lineup. This year, however, has been much different for Northeastern State as the team has utilized 10 different starting lineups through the first 21 games of the season. There have been three starting lineups that have been used more than once. The starting lineup that has been used the last six games includes Fontana Tate, Chelsey Beathard, Kate Bellamy, Che'Ron Lewis, and Carrington Fox. NSU is 3-3 in games started by those five. Beathard owns the most starts this season with 20. Others to earn at least one start this year are Sarah Sagely, Courtney Cowan and Jamie Jackson. Mya Walker is the only member of the team who has yet to start a game this season.
 
FOX AT HOME
Carrington Fox is the lone senior on this year's NSU women's basketball team. With that distinction comes the honor of carrying a dominant home-court advantage. Last year's seniors were 46-3 in their home careers, and Fox currently has a 44-5 record in Tahlequah. She finished her career with 35-2 record inside Jack Dobbins Field House, and she is 9-3 inside the NSU Event Center.
 
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.