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TAHLEQUAH, Okla. – The Northeastern State women's basketball team is set to host No. 9-ranked Pittsburg State in MIAA play. The RiverHawks (9-9, 5-6 MIAA) will meet the Gorillas (17-3, 7-2 MIAA) at 5:30 p.m. Jan. 28 in the NSU Event Center.

Pittsburg State owns a 7-3 record over NSU since the RiverHawks joined the NCAA ranks in 1996-97. The two teams split the series in 2012-13, while the Gorillas took both matchups last season. Northeastern State was picked eighth in the preseason MIAA coaches' poll, while PSU was slated second.
 

Northeastern State's Probable Starters
F	23	Bria Pierce	5-10	Fr-HS	5.0 ppg, 3.7 rpg	Overland Park, Kan.
F	33	Danielle Robertson	5-10	Jr-TR	2.9 ppg, 2.2 rpg	Round Rock, Texas
G	04	Fontana Tate	5-5	Sr-3L	9.8 ppg, 4.3 rpg	Muldrow, Okla.
G	21	Chelsey Beathard	5-8	Sr-3L	11.2 ppg, 3.4 rpg	Pryor, Okla.
G	22	Sarah Sagely	5-6	Sr-1L	2.9 ppg, 1.8 rpg	West Fork, Ark.
#9 Pittsburg State's Probable Starters
F	23	Kylie Gafford	6-2	Jr-2L	11.6 ppg, 5.9 rpg	Overland Park, Kan.
F	34	Cathy Brugman	6-1	Jr-2L	9.1 ppg, 4.4 rpg	Wichita, Kan.
G	04	Brigit Hesser	5-7	Sr-3L	4.6 ppg, 2.0 apg	Montezuma, Kan.
G	32	Hailey Roderique	5-9	Sr-3L	3.8 ppg, 2.8 rpg	Webb City, Mo.
G	42	Lizzy Jeronimus	5-11	Sr-3L	19.7 ppg, 6.6 rpg	Lenexa, Kan.

 
SCOUTING THE GORILLAS
Pittsburg State University is located in Pittsburg, Kansas and the team competes in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association. The Gorillas are 17-3 in the 2014-15 season and have put up a 7-2 record in MIAA play. In the most recent USA Today Coaches Poll, PSU is ranked No.-9. Pittsburg State is 2-2 in its last four games, defeating Washburn (60-40) and Nebraska-Kearney (86-73) while losing to Emporia State (65-61) and Fort Hays State (62-43). Lizzy Jeronimus (19.7 ppg, 6.6 rpg) leads the team in scoring and rebounding. Kylie Gafford (11.6 ppg, 5.9 rpg) is second on the squad in both categories. The Gorillas average 74.8 points per game and shoot .440 as a team.
 
THE LAST TIME OUT – NSU 58, (RV) WU 54
Northeastern State halted a four-game slide with a 58-54 victory over Washburn Saturday afternoon inside the NSU Event Center. NSU was powered by its three senior guards, as all three scored in double figures. Chelsey Beathard led the charge with 16 points (12 in the second half), Fontana Tate added 13 and Sarah Sagely chipped in 10. Northeastern State finished the game 20-for-54 (37 percent) from the field, 7-for-21 (33.3 percent) from behind the 3-point line and 11-for-18 (61.1 percent) at the free-throw line. Washburn shot 39.1 percent (18-for-46) overall, 35.3 percent (6-for-17) from distance and 85.7 percent (12-for-14) at the charity stripe. Casyn Buchman paced the Ichabods with a game-high 20 points, and Taylor Ignoto registered 13 points for the visitors. Northeastern State led in points in the paint (20-10), points off turnovers (17-12) and bench points (14-9), while also registering fewer turnovers (9-14). Washburn led in rebounds (36-32) and steals (7-5).
 
THE LAST TIME THEY MET – PSU 63, NSU 46  
Northeastern State lost 63-46 to Pittsburg State in the regular-season home finale Feb. 19, 2014 inside the NSU Event Center. Chelsey Beathard paced NSU with 14 points. Carrington Fox finished with 11 points, seven rebounds, two assists, two steals, and a block on Senior Night. NSU shot 35.6 percent (16-for-45) from the field, 33.3 percent (4-for-12) from downtown and 45.5 percent (10-for-22) at the free-throw line. PSU connected on 43.9 percent (25-for-57) from the field, 33.3 percent (4-for-12) from behind the three-point line and 69.2 percent (9-for-13) at the line. Cathy Brugman led Pitt State with 13 points, and Antqunita Reed and Lizzy Jeronimus both added 12.
 
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 12 different lineups in the first 18 games in 2014-15. Fontana Tate leads NSU with 58 career starts, and Chelsey Beathard is second on the squad with 42 starts. Kate Bellamy (31) and Sarah Sagely (15) also own double-digit starts. Sara Fountain (9), Bria Pierce (7), Mya Walker (5), Alexis Hill (5), Destiny Strange (1) 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 14-7 inside the NSU Event Center. The RiverHawks seniors have tallied a 36-8 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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