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TAHLEQUAH, Okla. – The Northeastern State men's basketball team is set for Senior Night against Pittsburg State at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 19 at the NSU Event Center (3,100). Marcus Sheppard and Bryton Hobbs will be honored in a presentation prior to tipoff. The game will also be the final regular-season home contest for NSU coach Larry Gipson, who recently announced that he will retire at the end of the season.

The RiverHawks (12-10, 7-8 MIAA) are 9-4 at home and recently snapped a six-game losing streak, while the Gorillas (7-15, 3-12 MIAA) are 1-10 on the road and have lost nine of their last 10. The only win over their last 10 games was a 73-63 home victory over Northeastern State. PSU is 44-21 all-time against NSU, and the two squads have split the series in each of the last two years. Pitt State was selected in the preseason MIAA coaches poll to finish eighth, NSU was selected to place fourth.

Northeastern State's Probable Starters
F	10	Landon DeMasters	6-4, 200	Jr-1L	6.9 ppg, 3.8 rpg	Van Alstyne, Texas
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	9.6 ppg, 7.0 rpg	Springdale, Ark.
G	00	Michael Harmon	5-11, 180	Jr-TR	6.4 ppg, 0.7 apg	Houston, Texas
G	03	Bryton Hobbs	6-0, 170	Sr-1L	23.1 ppg, 5.7 apg	St. Louis, Mo.
Pittsburg State's Probable Starters
F	32	Trevor Gregory	6-7, 235	Fr.	5.0 ppg, 4.2 rpg	Lee's Summit, Mo.
F	33	Connor Kjer	6-6, 205	Jr.	6.4 ppg, 3.7 rpg	La Habra, Calif.
G	01	Jake Bullard	6-5, 190	So.	14.6 ppg, 5.1 rpg	Cleora, Okla.
G	04	Josiah Gustafson	6-6, 190	Fr.	8.8 ppg, 3.1 rpg	Omaha, Neb.
G	05	Devon Branch	6-6, 180	Jr.	20.4 ppg, 5.1 rpg	Aberdeen, Md.

 
SCOUTING THE GORILLAS
Pittsburg State owns a 7-15 mark this year with a 3-12 record in the MIAA. The Gorillas have lost nine of their last 10 and each of their last five. Of the nine losses, two have been to both Nebraska-Kearney, Fort Hays State and Central Oklahoma. They also dropped contests to Emporia State, Washburn and Southwest Baptist. Devon Branch leads the squad in scoring and is third in the MIAA at 20.1 ppg. He also leads PSU in rebounding at 5.1 rpg. Jake Bullard is second on the team in scoring and rebounding (14.6 ppg, 5.0 rpg). Sam Pugh (10.9 ppg) also averages double-digit scoring.
 
THE LAST TIME OUT - NSU 68, WU 59
NSU ended its six-game losing streak with a 68-59 victory over Washburn on Feb. 15 inside the NSU Event Center. The RiverHawks (12-10, 7-8 MIAA) were able to keep hopes alive of hosting a first-round game in the MIAA Championship, while the Ichabods (15-8, 8-8 MIAA) were held to their lowest scoring output of the season. The point total was also the second-fewest amount NSU has allowed this year.Marcus Sheppard led Northeastern State with 16 points and seven rebounds. Dalen Qualls contributed 14 bench points and Bryton Hobbs added 11. Hobbs did not attempt a shot in the first half and finished the game 3-for-7 from the field. NSU shot 48.8 percent (21-for-43) from the field, 40.7 percent (11-for-27) from behind the three-point line and 88.2 percent (15-for-17) at the free-throw line. Washburn shot 42.3 percent (22-for-52) from the field, 23.5 percent (4-for-17) from downtown and 61.1 percent (11-for-18) at the charity stripe. Alex North (16 points) and Jeff Reid (15 points) paced the visitors, and Stephon Drane added 12 points off the bench.
 
THE LAST TIME THEY MET - PSU 73, NSU 63
Northeastern State fell 73-63 to Pittsburg State on Jan. 29 inside John Lance Arena. Bryton Hobbs led NSU with 18 points and nine assists. Dalen Qualls added 16 points, and Curtis Evans contributed 15 points. Northeastern State shot 37.3 percent (22-for-59) from the field, 29 percent (9-for-31) from behind the three-point line, and 76.9 percent (10-for-13) at the free-throw line. PSU shot 44.2 percent (23-for-52) from the field, 38.1 percent (8-for-21) from downtown and 76 percent (19-for-25) at the charity stripe. Devon Branch led all scorers with 23 points, Jake Bullard added 16 points and Connor Kjer chipped in nine points and 10 rebounds.
 
GIPSON ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT
Larry Gipson announced Feb. 16 that he will retire as head coach of the Northeastern State men's basketball program, effective at the conclusion of the 2013-14 season. Gipson will step down after leading NSU for the past 17 seasons. He currently has a career record of 276-198 at Northeastern State. His all-time collegiate coaching record stands at 561-358, and he is 332-256 at the NCAA level. His 276 career victories place him second at Northeastern State behind only Jack Dobbins (314), and his .582 winning percentage is the best in school history. He reached the 100- and 200-win milestones faster than any other coach in program history. Gipson has led NSU to nine winning seasons, five 20-win campaigns and five appearances in the NCAA Championship tournament (1999-03, 2013). His marquee season came in 2002-03, when he guided his team to a 32-3 record and the lone NCAA Division II National Championship in school history. The 2003 title is also the only national championship won in Redmen/RiverHawks basketball history. Gipson was inducted into the NSU Athletics Hall of Fame in 2004 for his outstanding coaching feat. A retirement reception for Gipson will be held in April. The date and time will be announced at a later date. A national search for Gipson's replacement will begin at the conclusion of the NCAA Division II regular season. Follow @NSUCoachSearch on twitter for updates.
 
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 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.
 
IF THE SEASON WERE TO END TODAY
NSU is currently 7-8 in the MIAA standings and is in solo ninth place. If the season were to end today, the RiverHawks would earn the No. 9 seed and would travel to Emporia, Kan., for a meeting with No. 8 seed Emporia State on March 4 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. Northwest Missouri State, Central Missouri, Fort Hays State, and Missouri Southern State are all slated to earn the four byes to KC. Northeastern State has lost both games to Emporia State this season, falling 72-67 on Jan. 22 in Tahlequah and 73-65 on Feb. 12 in Emporia.
 
NSU's GIPSON IN 17TH SEASON
NSU's Larry Gipson (Heidelberg College, '74) is in his 17th season as the RiverHawks head coach. The long-time leader of the men's basketball program enters the year with a 264-188 record over his illustrious career at NSU. He is second all-time in school history behind only Jack Dobbins (314 wins) in career wins, and his .584 winning percentage is the best in school history. He reached the 100- and 200-win milestones faster than any other coach in school history. Gipson has posted nine winning seasons in his time at NSU, and those include five 20-win campaigns and a national championship in 2002-03 (32-3 record). He has also led Northeastern State to five appearances in the NCAA tournament (1999-03, 2013). The 2003 NCAA title was the first for Northeastern State in any sport and the first national championship won in RiverHawks basketball history. Gipson was inducted into the NSU Athletic Hall of Fame in 2004 for his outstanding coaching feat. Gipson and Nolan Richardson are the only two head coaches ever to lead teams to a national championship at both the NCAA and NJCAA level. Gipson, Richardson and Ray Harper (NCAA D-II, NAIA) are the only three coaches in college basketball history to win national titles at two different levels.