TAHLEQUAH, Okla. – The Northeastern State women's basketball team defeated rival Central Oklahoma 74-61 Saturday afternoon inside the NSU Event Center.
 
The RiverHawks (4-6, 1-4 MIAA) snapped a six-game losing streak, while also handing the Bronchos (8-2, 3-2 MIAA) just their second setback of the season. The visitors entered the game averaging 74 points per game and were held to a season-low in scoring. Conversely, NSU posted its highest point total since December 8 of last year.  
 
Junior forward Mary Jane Buschmann paced the green and white with a game-high 20 points and eight rebounds. She was 7 of 10 from the floor and also recorded three assists and three steals in 33 minutes. True freshman guard Cailyn Long came off the bench and hit five 3-point shots for the second-straight game en route to a 17-point effort. Sophomore guard Alexis Hill helped the winning cause by tallying career highs in both points (14) and rebounds (8), while senior guard Kate Bellamy filled the stat sheet with 11 points, seven rebounds and a career-high seven assists. The assist total was the most by an NSU women's basketball player since Taylor Lewis had seven against Lindenwood on Feb. 7, 2013.
 
Northeastern State shot a season-high 48.1 percent (26-for-54) from the field, while also converting a season-best 44 percent (11-for-25) from behind the arc and 61.1 percent (11-for-18) at the free-throw line. The Bronchos shot just 34.5 percent (20-for-58) overall, 33.3 percent (8-for-24) from deep and 76.5 percent (13-for-17) at the line.
 
Haley Weathers led UCO with 15 points, while Sadie Mason added 12 and Marley Anderson chipped in 11.
 
Central Oklahoma was able to build a six-point lead in the later stages of the first quarter, but back-to-back 3-point shots from Long and Buschmann – with the latter coming at the buzzer – pulled NSU level at 16-16 by the end of the opening frame.
 
True freshman guard Eriyonna Irvin converted a layup 50 seconds into the second quarter to put Northeastern State on top 21-19, and the green and white never trailed again. The team was able to build a 34-24 lead midway through the second and entered the locker room on top 38-31.
 
The Bronchos never got to within fewer than eight points in the third quarter and NSU was able to stretch the lead out to 58-45 heading into the fourth. Northeastern State was unable extend the lead by more than 13 points the rest of the way, but UCO could not muster enough offense to mount any type of a realistic comeback.
 
The RiverHawks outrebounded an opponent (40-32) for just the third time this season and for the first time since the team's last victory (Nov. 17 vs. Bacone). The home side also led in assists (20-11), blocks (5-1), points in the paint (16-10), points off turnovers (17-3), and fewer turnovers (13-15). UCO led in just steals (8-6), and fast-break points (3-2).
 
NSU will now take the holiday portion of its schedule off and will return for a makeup contest from a previously postponed game. The RiverHawks will head to Weatherford, Oklahoma, to face off against Southwestern Oklahoma State at 5:30 p.m. Dec. 30.
 
NORTHEASTERN STATE COACH RANDY GIPSON
Opening statement...
"What a difference a week makes. I'm proud of the effort we came out with today. The team played with concentration and purpose right from the opening tip. We got off to a good start and we made shots better than we have all year. We worked hard to execute the game plan on defense. For our kids to bounce back after the tough games we've been having says a lot about this team. For them to put this kind of game together is a great way to come back home and go into the holiday break."
 
On snapping the losing streak prior to the holiday break…
"There's no doubt that was big for us. Getting rid of the losing streak was big. It's nice that we can go into the break knowing that we can make this work. These players are still learning how to play together. When you can get good results and a win over a quality opponent – this UCO team has been playing really well this season – then that's a good quality win for us."
 
On the defensive effort…
"That was the key thing that I was pleased with. We were able to stay in front of them and contest their shots well. They may have missed some shots that they normally make, I'm not sure, but we're happy with how we played on defense. We did a solid job guarding, and we were rewarded with a good win."
 
On four players scoring in double figures…
"Scoring has been difficult for us. When you get several people that can score out of the offensive scheme that we use, it just makes you hard to guard. Making shots is a big key to success for us on offense."
 
-GoRiverHawksGo.com-