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TAHLEQUAH, Okla. – The Northeastern State women's basketball team is set to host Washburn in MIAA play. The RiverHawks (8-9, 4-6 MIAA) will meet the Ichabods (13-4, 5-4 MIAA) at 1:30 p.m. Jan. 24 in the NSU Event Center.

The series between Northeastern State and Washburn is tied 2-2. The RiverHawks won the first two meetings, including a 56-51 victory in the second round of the NCAA Championship (March 13, 2010) and a 52-43 triumph when Washburn was ranked No. 9 in the country (Jan. 19, 2013). The Ichabods won both meetings last season including a 56-52 victory in overtime (Feb. 15, 2014). Northeastern State was picked eighth in the preseason MIAA coaches' poll, while WU was slated third.
 

Northeastern State's Probable Starters
F	20	Sara Fountain	5-11	Fr-HS	4.4 ppg, 2.8 rpg	Stilwell, Okla.
F	23	Bria Pierce	5-10	Fr-HS	5.0 ppg, 3.6 rpg	Overland Park, Kan.
G	04	Fontana Tate	5-5	Sr-3L	9.6 ppg, 4.5 rpg	Muldrow, Okla.
G	14	Alexis Hill	5-6	Fr-HS	5.5 ppg, 2.6 rpg	Garland, Texas
G	21	Chelsey Beathard	5-8	Sr-3L	10.9 ppg, 3.5 rpg	Pryor, Okla.
Washburn's Probable Starters
F	24	Jayna Smith	5-10	Jr.	5.7 ppg, 6.2 rpg	Holton, Kan.
C	44	Honor Duvall	6-1	Sr.	12.0 ppg, 6.5 rpg	Lawton, Okla.
G	03	Casyn Buchman	5-9	Sr.	13.2 ppg, 4.8 rpg	McPherson, Kan.
G	11	Allyssa Nikkel	5-8	Sr.	4.2 ppg, 2.7 rpg	Goddard, Kan.
G	20	Taylor Ignoto	5-8	Sr.	14.3 ppg, 2.3 rpg	Thousand Oaks, Calif.

 
SCOUTING THE ICHABODS
Washburn University is located in Topeka, Kansas and the team competes in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association. The Ichabods are 13-4 in the 2014-15 season and have put up a 5-4 record in MIAA play. Washburn most recently defeated Central Oklahoma (55-50) and lost to Pittsburg State (60-40). Taylor Ignoto (14.3 ppg, 2.3 rpg) leads the team in scoring. Casyn Buchman (13.2 ppg, 4.8 rpg) and Honor Duvall (12.0 ppg, 6.5 rpg) also average double-figure scoring for the Ichabods, while Duvall leads the team in rebounding. Washburn averages 70.9 points per game and shoots .434 as a team.
 
THE LAST TIME OUT – #2 ESU 69, NSU 36
Northeastern State dropped a 69-36 decision to No. 2 Emporia State Wednesday evening inside the NSU Event Center. Freshman forward Destiny Strange came off the bench to lead NSU with a career-high 10 points. Northeastern State shot 26.3 percent (15-for-57) overall and failed to reach 40 points for the third time this season. The team also shot just 20 percent (3-for-15) from behind the 3-point line and 37.5 percent (3-for-8) at the free-throw line. ESU shot 45.1 percent (23-for-51) from the field, 45 percent (9-for-20) from deep and 82.4 percent (14-for-17) at the line. Kelly Moten paced the Lady Hornets with 20 points. Kelsey Barnwell added 12 and Addie Lackey contributed 10. Kathryn Flott finished with a game-high 10 rebounds. ESU starting senior forward Merissa Quick entered the game averaging 11.6 points per game, but NSU held her to just two points. That marked the second-lowest output of her career and the first time she was held to two points or fewer in nearly two years (Jan. 27, 2013). Emporia State led 25-15 at halftime, and the visitors outscored NSU 44-21 in the second half to earn the 33-point victory. The 25 points scored by the Lady Hornets in the first half marked the second-fewest they have registered in the opening 20 minutes against an MIAA opponent this year.
 
THE LAST TIME THEY MET – WU 56, NSU 52 (OT)
Northeastern State fell 56-52 in overtime to Washburn Feb. 15, 2014 inside the NSU Event Center. Forward Carrington Fox finished the game with six blocks, moving her into first place on the all-time block charts in Northeastern State history. Kate Bellamy led NSU with a career-high 15 points, and she was the only member of the team in double figures. The RiverHawks shot 26.6 percent (17-for-64) from the field, 23.8 percent (10-for-42) from downtown and 80 percent (8-for-10) at the free-throw line. The 42 three-point attempts broke the school record for most three's attempted in a single game. The previous mark was 35. The Ichabods shot 33.3 percent (21-for-63) from the field, 22.7 percent (5-for-22) from downtown and 50 percent (9-for-18) at the free-throw line. WU was led by Brittney Lynch, who finished with 16 points and 10 rebounds. Taylor Ignoto scored 14 points, and Kara Lee and Honor Duvall both had 11 rebounds.
 
MIAA CHAMPIONSHIP IN KC
The 2015 MIAA Women's Basketball Championship is set to take place inside Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Missouri. 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. Both NSU basketball programs have advanced to the MIAA Championship Quarterfinals in Kansas City in each of their first two years in the league.
 
RIVERHAWKS IN THE NATIONAL POLLS
The NSU women's basketball team has received votes in the USA Today Division II Women's Basketball Top 25 Coaches' Polls three times this season. The RiverHawks picked up 19 votes January 6 and 17 votes on both December 16 and November 25.
 
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 has used 11 different lineups in the first 17 games in 2014-15. Fontana Tate leads NSU with 57 career starts, and Chelsey Beathard is second on the squad with 41 starts. Kate Bellamy (31) and Sarah Sagely (14) also own double-digit starts. Sara Fountain (9), Bria Pierce (6), Mya Walker (5), Alexis Hill (5) and Danielle Robertson (1) have also started games for NSU this season.
 
SENIORS AT HOME
Chelsey Beathard and Fontana Tate are the two four-year seniors on the squad this year. They posted a 22-1 record inside Jack Dobbins Field House, and they are currently 13-7 inside the NSU Event Center. The RiverHawks seniors have tallied a 35-8 record at home in their careers.
 
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).
 
TICKETS REQUIRED FOR ENTRY IN 2014-15
All fans wishing to attend an NSU home 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 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.
 
 
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