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TAHLEQUAH, Okla. – The Northeastern State women's basketball team is set to host rival Central Oklahoma in MIAA play. The RiverHawks (10-13, 6-10 MIAA) will meet the Bronchos (15-10, 8-8 MIAA) at 1:30 p.m. Feb. 21 in the NSU Event Center.

NSU owns a 34-22 record over UCO since the teams started playing in 1977-78. The Bronchos have won the last two meetings, including a matchup in Edmond earlier this year (Feb. 5). The RiverHawks had won the previous five meetings. Northeastern State was picked eighth in the preseason MIAA coaches' poll, while UCO was slated 10th.
 

Northeastern State's Probable Starters
F	23	Bria Pierce	5-10	Fr-HS	6.8 ppg, 3.9 rpg	Overland Park, Kan.
G	04	Fontana Tate	5-5	Sr-3L	9.3 ppg, 4.0 rpg	Muldrow, Okla.
G	05	Kate Bellamy	5-9	Jr-2L	7.7 ppg, 4.3 rpg	Cambewarra, NSW, Australia
G	14	Alexis Hill	5-6	Fr-HS	5.2 ppg, 2.8 rpg	Garland, Texas
G	21	Chelsey Beathard	5-8	Sr-3L	10.3 ppg, 3.4 rpg	Pryor, Okla.
Central Oklahoma's Probable Starters
F	21	Julia Mason	5-10	Jr.	9.6 ppg, 4.6 rpg	Fairview, Okla.
F	24	Kylie Mayes	6-2	Sr.	10.4 ppg, 4.4 rpg	Midwest City, Okla.
G	03	Jordan Ward	5-4	Jr.	4.7 ppg, 2.5 rpg	Alvord, Texas
G	13	Chelsea Robinson	5-10	Sr.	6.9 ppg, 4.2 rpg	Harrah, Okla.
G	25	Olivia Mason	5-11	So.	10.0 ppg, 5.2 rpg	Fairview, Okla.

 
SCOUTING THE BRONCHOS
The University of Central Oklahoma is located in Edmond, Oklahoma, and the team competes in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association. UCO is 15-10 in the 2014-15 season and has put up an 8-8 record in MIAA play. The Bronchos currently sit in sixth place in the MIAA standings. In their last three games, they have lost to Pittsburg State, defeated Washburn and lost to Emporia State. Kylie Mayes (10.4 ppg, 4.4 rpg) leads the team in scoring. Olivia Mason (10.0 ppg, 5.2 rpg) is second on the squad scoring and leads the team in rebounding. Central Oklahoma averages 66.6 points per game and shoots .409 as a team.
 
THE LAST TIME OUT – #7 PSU 84, NSU 48
Northeastern State lost 84-48 to No. 7 Pittsburg State University Feb. 18 inside John Lance Arena. The RiverHawks fell to 10-13 overall this season and 6-10 in MIAA play, while PSU improved to 24-3 and 14-2 in league play. Junior guard Kate Bellamy had 13 points to lead NSU. Fontana Tate finished with 10 points. The senior guard hit three shots from beyond the arc. Freshman forward Bria Pierce also finished with 10 points. Pierce scored in double figures for the third game in a row. NSU shot 28.8 percent (15-for-52) from the field, 25.0 percent (6-for-24) from behind the arc and 80.0 percent (8-for-10) at the line. PSU shot 47.6 percent (30-for-63) from the field, 44.8 percent (13-for-29) from 3-point range and 100 percent (11-for-11) at the charity stripe. Lizzy Jeronimus led the Gorillas with 18 points. Cathy Brugman chipped in 17 points. Mikaela Burgess and Morgan Westhoff both finished with 15 points. PSU outrebounded the RiverHawks 42-29. The Gorillas also held the edge in points in the paint (16-10), assists (21-7) and bench points (56-11).
 
THE LAST TIME THEY MET – UCO 62, NSU 47  
Northeastern State lost 62-47 in a rivalry game to the University of Central Oklahoma Feb. 5 inside Hamilton Field House. Kate Bellamy had 12 points to lead NSU. Fontana Tate finished with 11 points. The senior guard hit three shots from beyond the arc. NSU shot 32.7 percent (18-for-55) from the field, 26.1 percent (6-for-23) from behind the arc and 100 percent (5-for-5) at the line. UCO shot 50.0 percent (24-for-48) from the field, 31.8 percent (7-for-22) from 3-point range and 87.5 percent (7-for-8) at the charity stripe. Chelsea Robinson led the Bronchos with 15 points. Olivia Mason came off the bench and added 14 points. Central Oklahoma outrebounded the RiverHawks 40-21. The Bronchos also held the edge in points in the paint (28-20), assists (16-8) and bench points (28-3). NSU had eight turnovers compared to UCO's 18.
 
NSU AGAIN STUNS EMPORIA STATE
Northeastern State took down No. 9 Emporia State 58-56 in overtime Feb. 12 inside White Auditorium. The RiverHawks were able to avenge a 69-36 home loss to the Lady Hornets from earlier this season. NSU is now 4-2 against ESU since 2012-13, and the green and white has now beaten a ranked Lady Hornet squad each of the last three years. The victory also snapped NSU's six-game losing streak in overtime dating back to Jan. 6, 2011. Northeastern State held Emporia State to its worst shooting output of the season at 27.1 percent (19-for-70) and its second-worst effort from behind the 3-point line at 17.2 percent (5-for-29). ESU also shot just 68.4 percent (13-for-19) at the free-throw line. This marks the second-straight season that the worst shooting game of the season for the Lady Hornets came at the hands of NSU. Bria Pierce led the RiverHawks with 12 points, while Danielle Robertson contributed 10 points to the winning cause. Fontana Tate tallied eight points and nine rebounds, while Kate Bellamy posted nine points, five rebounds and a career-high five steals. NSU shot 37 percent (20-for-54) from the field, 29.4 percent (5-for-17) from distance and 65 percent (13-for-20) at the free-throw line.
 
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.
 
IF THE SEASON WERE TO END TODAY
NSU is currently 6-10 in league play and is in ninth place in the MIAA standings. If the season were to end today, the RiverHawks would earn the No. 9 seed and would travel to No. 8 seed Missouri Western on March 3 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. Fort Hays State, Pittsburg State, Emporia State and Missouri Southern are all slated to earn the four byes to KC.
 
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 13 different lineups in the first 23 games in 2014-15. Fontana Tate leads NSU with 63 career starts, and Chelsey Beathard is second on the squad with 47 starts. Kate Bellamy (36), Sarah Sagely (18) and Bria Pierce (12) also own double-digit starts. Sara Fountain (9), Alexis Hill (7), Mya Walker (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 15-8 inside the NSU Event Center. The RiverHawks seniors have tallied a 37-9 record at home in their careers.
 
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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