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TAHLEQUAH, Okla. – The Northeastern State men's basketball team will close out the regular season with three road games beginning at 3:30 p.m. Feb. 22 against Central Oklahoma at Hamilton Field House in Edmond, Okla.

The RiverHawks (13-10, 8-8 MIAA) are 2-6 on the road this season, while the Bronchos (16-7, 10-6 MIAA) are 10-3 at home and have won their last five games. NSU and UCO have met 36 times since Larry Gipson took over the helm of the RiverHawks program in 1997, and the two schools are tied at 18-18 after the Bronchos won the first matchup of the season to even the series.

Northeastern State dominated to the tune of a 12-3 record in the first seven years of the rivalry, but Central Oklahoma is 15-6 over the last 10 seasons. UCO was selected in the preseason MIAA coaches poll to finish fifth, and NSU was selected to place fourth.

Northeastern State's Probable Starters
F	10	Landon DeMasters	6-4, 200	Jr-1L	6.9 ppg, 3.7 rpg	Van Alstyne, Texas
F	15	Marcus Sheppard	6-4, 205	Sr-1L	9.2 ppg, 5.9 rpg	Vivian, La.
F	22	Curtis Evans	6-7, 215	Jr-TR	9.7 ppg, 6.8 rpg	Springdale, Ark.
G	00	Michael Harmon	5-11, 180	Jr-TR	6.5 ppg, 0.6 rpg	Houston, Texas
G	03	Bryton Hobbs	6-0, 170	Sr-1L	23.1 ppg, 5.8 apg	St. Louis, Mo.
Central Oklahoma's Probable Starters
F	02	Josh Gibbs	6-5, 235	Sr.	21.1 ppg, 11.4 rpg	Kansas City, Mo.
F	14	Jarred Bairstow	6-7, 230	So.	8.8 ppg, 5.0 rpg	Brisbane, Australia
F	21	Cal Andrews	6-7, 200	So.	12.0 ppg, 4.0 rpg	Washington, Okla.
G	01	Aaron Anderson	6-3, 190	So.	13.8 ppg, 4.8 rpg	Edmond, Okla.
G	03	Seth Heckart	6-0, 175	So.	11.6 ppg, 3.3 rpg	Woodward, Okla.

 
SCOUTING THE BRONCHOS
Central Oklahoma currently sits at 16-7 on the year with a 10-6 mark in the league. The Bronchos are riding a five-game win streak that includes victories over Pittsburg State (74-73, 80-72), Northeastern State (96-94), Washburn (72-70), and Emporia State (82-73). UCO is led by one of the league's elite players in Josh Gibbs. He is second in scoring and first in rebounding (21.1 ppg, 11.4 rpg). Aaron Anderson (13.8 ppg), Cal Andrews (12.0 ppg) and Seth Heckart (11.6 ppg) also average double digits.
 
THE LAST TIME OUT - NSU 61, PSU 60
Northeastern State sent Larry Gipson out on a high note by defeating Pittsburg State 61-60 Feb. 19 inside the NSU Event Center. The legendary coach will be retiring at the end of the season, and he coached his final regular-season home game. The RiverHawks trailed for the majority of the contest, but a contested step-back 3-point shot from Bryton Hobbs at the buzzer lifted the home team over the Gorillas. Hobbs finished with a game-high 22 points. He also added seven assists and six rebounds. Marcus Sheppard compiled seven points and a career-high 11 rebounds. He also added four blocks in 40 minutes on Senior Night. Both Hobbs and Sheppard were honored prior to the contest. Curtis Evans contributed 11 points to the winning cause. Northeastern State shot 23-for-55 (41.8 percent) from the field, 8-for-26 (30.8 percent) from downtown and 7-for-8 (87.5 percent) at the free-throw line. Pittsburg State shot 44.6 percent (25-for-56) from the field, 41.2 percent (7-for-17) from behind the three-point line and 100 percent (3-for-3) from the line. The two teams combined for just 11 free throws. Hobbs himself has attempted at least 11 free throws in 11 different games this season. The Gorillas were led by Jake Bullard, who finished with 14 points. Trevor Gregory tallied 10 for the visitors. Devon Branch was held to just seven points, which marked the first time this season he failed to reach double figures. He entered the game third in the MIAA at 20.4 points per game.
 
THE LAST TIME THEY MET - UCO 96, NSU 94 (2OT)
NSU lost 96-94 in double overtime to Central Oklahoma on Feb. 6 inside the NSU Event Center. The game was the first double OT session for NSU since a 76-68 home victory over Texas A&M-Commerce on Feb. 13, 2008. Bryton Hobbs finished with 35 points, nine rebounds and eight assists in a career-high 50 minutes. Michael Harmon earned his first start and finished with a season-best 23 points. He connected on 7 of 13 from behind the three-point line. Marcus Sheppard added 11 points. Northeastern State shot 45.6 percent (31-for-68) from the field, 35.1 percent (13-for-37) from behind the three-point line and 76 percent (19-for-25) at the free-throw line. UCO shot 44.9 percent (31-for-69) from the field, 37.9 percent (11-for-29) from behind the arc and 59 percent (23-for-39) at the line.Josh Gibbs led the Bronchos with 24 points and 14 rebounds. Aaron Anderson and Seth Heckart both finished with 19 points, and Cal Andrews added 15.
 
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 8-8 in the MIAA standings and is tied for eighth place. If the season were to end today, the RiverHawks would earn the No. 8 seed and would play host to No. 9 seed Nebraska-Kearney 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 defeated UNK 90-85 on Jan. 16 in Tahlequah.