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TAHLEQUAH, Okla. – The Northeastern State women's basketball team lost a 50-28 battle with No. 4-ranked Fort Hays State to close out the regular season Saturday afternoon inside the NSU Event Center.
 
The RiverHawks wrapped up the year with an 11-15 overall record and a 7-12 mark in the MIAA. The team has earned the No. 9 seed in the MIAA Championship tournament for the second-straight year and will travel to face No. 8 seed Washburn in the opening round at 7 p.m. March 3 in Topeka, Kansas.
 
The Tigers (26-2, 18-1 MIAA), winners of the MIAA regular season championship, were held to their lowest scoring output of the season. They entered the contest averaging a league-best 75 points per game. NSU held them to just 32.8 percent (19-for-58) shooting, which was their second-worst effort of the year. The 19 made field goals were also a season low. FHSU shot just 15 percent (3-for-20) from behind the 3-point line and 69.2 percent (9-for-13) at the free-throw line.
 
FHSU center Kate Lehman came into the game as the league's No. 2 scorer (19.7 ppg) and rebounder (10.5 rpg). The RiverHawks made her completely ineffective, as she was held to a season-low six points and three rebounds. She also turned the ball over five times. Both her point and rebound totals were her fewest in a contest since her sophomore season. The three rebounds were the second-fewest in her entire four-year career.
 
Chelsea Mason needed 27 shots to finish with a game-high 19 points. Nikola Kacperska also hit the 10-point plateau. Keriann Shaw scored just four points but finished with a game-high 12 rebounds. Paige Lunsford was also held to a marginal four points, but she hauled in 11 missed shots.
 
Saturday's contest was Senior Day, and NSU honored its three seniors following the game. Chelsey Beathard, Sarah Sagely and Fontana Tate all played their final home game in the green and white. They combined for six points (all from Tate) and five rebounds.
 
Northeastern State shot 18.2 percent (10-for-55) overall, 17.4 percent (4-for-23) from distance and 57.1 percent (4-for-7) at the free-throw line. Junior forward Danielle Robertson led NSU with eight points off the bench.
 
The RiverHawks were outrebounded 57-30 but led in fewer turnovers (8-13) and bench points (18-7).
 
Northeastern State trailed 24-13 at halftime but got within 29-24 with 13:54 to play. The Tigers closed the game on a 21-4 run.
 
NORTHEASTERN STATE COACH RANDY GIPSON
Initial statement...
"You can look at the score and know the story of the game today. As we've done on several occasions, we defended well enough to win, but couldn't get enough going offensively. Fort Hays State is a really good defensive team. They have the probable defensive player of the year in the center for them. They do some things that make it really hard and we just couldn't get going all day."
 
On slow starts...
"We have to start getting shots to fall earlier. We've been working at it all year. I don't know what it is, but we just haven't had shots fall, especially early in games."
 
On looking forward to the MIAA Championship...
"Once we figure out who we play, we'll game plan as we normally do. We'll get ready to go and play with a great effort. We have to be able to make some plays offensively. That's been the story for us all year. If we can get off to a good start and get something going on the offensive end, I think we'll be okay."
 
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