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TAHLEQUAH, Okla. – The Northeastern State women's basketball team is set to host the University of Nebraska-Kearney in MIAA play. The RiverHawks (11-13, 7-10 MIAA) will meet the Lopers (11-15, 5-12 MIAA) at 5:30 p.m. Feb. 26 in the NSU Event Center.

The series between NSU and UNK is tied 2-2 since the RiverHawks joined the NCAA in 1996-97. The Lopers have won the last two meetings, including a matchup in Kearney earlier this year (Jan. 15). Northeastern State was picked eighth in the preseason MIAA coaches' poll, while UNK was slated 13th.
 

Northeastern State's Probable Starters
F	20	Sara Fountain	5-11	Fr-HS	3.5 ppg, 2.3 rpg	Stilwell, Okla.
F	23	Bria Pierce	5-10	Fr-HS	7.1 ppg, 3.9 rpg	Overland Park, Kan.
G	04	Fontana Tate	5-5	Sr-3L	9.3 ppg, 4.2 rpg	Muldrow, Okla.
G	05	Kate Bellamy	5-9	Jr-2L	8.0 ppg, 4.4 rpg	Cambewarra, NSW, Australia
G	21	Chelsey Beathard	5-8	Sr-3L	10.3 ppg, 3.6 rpg	Pryor, Okla.
Nebraska-Kearney's Probable Starters
F	23	Kelsey Fitzgerald	6-0	So.	10.8 ppg, 5.9 rpg	Yankton, S.D.
F	45	Amarah Williams	6-2	Sr.	15.0 ppg, 7.8 rpg	St. Louis, Mo.
G	10	McKenzie Brown	5-10	Fr.	11.9 ppg, 4.2 rpg	Grand Island, Neb.
G	12	Alexa Hogberg	5-5	So.	10.2 ppg, 5.0 apg	Chandler, Ariz.
G	15	Laramey Lewis	5-8	Jr.	14.8 ppg, 7.0 rpg	Trenton, Neb.

 
SCOUTING THE LOPERS
The University of Nebraska-Kearney is located in Kearney, Nebraska, and the team competes in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association. UNK is 11-15 in the 2014-15 season and has put up a 5-12 record in MIAA play. The Lopers currently sit in 11th place in the MIAA standings. They have lost their last seven games. Five members of the team average double-figure scoring. They are Amarah Williams (15.0 ppg, 7.8 rpg), Laramey Lewis (14.8 ppg, 7.0 rpg), McKenzie Brown (11.9 ppg, 4.2 rpg), Kelsey Fitzgerald (10.8 ppg, 5.9 rpg) and Alexa Hogberg (10.2 ppg, 2.8 rpg). Williams leads in the squad in rebounding. Nebraska-Kearney averages 69.4 points per game and shoots .419 as a team.
 
THE LAST TIME OUT – NSU 62, UCO 54
Northeastern State triumphed over Central Oklahoma 62-54 Saturday afternoon inside the NSU Event Center. The victory was the 300th in the storied career of NSU coach Randy Gipson. His record now stands at 300-160 in 16 seasons. Kate Bellamy paced NSU with 13 points and seven rebounds. Bria Pierce contributed 12 points, four boards and three blocks, while Chelsey Beathard finished with 11 points and seven rebounds. Mya Walker chipped in 10 points off the bench, and Fontana Tate had eight points and a game-high nine rebounds. The RiverHawks shot 42 percent (21-for-50) from the field, 37 percent (10-for-27) from 3-point territory and 62.5 percent (10-for-16) at the free-throw line. NSU held Central Oklahoma to its second-worst shooting performance of the season at just 29.8 percent (17-for-57). The Bronchos also connected on just two 3-point attempts (2-for-21, 9.5 percent) and made 18 of 25 from the free-throw line. Julia Mason (23) and Chelsea Robinson (13) combined for 36 of UCO's 54 points. No other player had more than seven points. NSU outrebounded UCO 40-36, which marked the first time in 11 games the RiverHawks were able to outrebound an opponent. Northeastern State also led in assists 14-7 and bench points (18-12).
 
THE LAST TIME THEY MET – UNK 61, NSU 49  
Northeastern State women's basketball team lost 61-49 to Nebraska-Kearney Jan. 15 inside the Health & Sports Center. NSU was led by Bria Pierce. Pierce was 5-for-6 from the charity stripe and finished with 11 points. NSU shot 31.5 percent (17-for-54) from the field, 16.7 percent (3-for-18) from behind the arc and 70.6 percent (12-for-17) at the line. UNK shot 42.6 percent (26-for-61) from the field, 35 percent (7-for-20) from 3-point range and 40 percent (2-for-5) at the charity stripe. Kelsey Fitzgerald led the Lopers with 19 points. Amarah Williams added 14 and McKenzie Brown scored 10. Nebraska-Kearney outrebounded the RiverHawks 44-34. The Lopers also held the edge in points in the paint (36-24) and assists (18-8). NSU had fewer turnovers (11-13) and held the edge in second chance points (11-2) as well as bench points (14-10).
 
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 7-10 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 Washburn 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. With one week left in the regular season, NSU could finish between No. 6 and No. 11 in the final standings.
 
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 24 games in 2014-15. Fontana Tate leads NSU with 64 career starts, and Chelsey Beathard is second on the squad with 48 starts. Kate Bellamy (37), Sarah Sagely (18), Bria Pierce (13) and Sara Fountain (10) also own double-digit starts. 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 16-8 inside the NSU Event Center. The RiverHawks seniors have tallied a 38-9 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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