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TAHLEQUAH, Okla. – The Northeastern State women's basketball team heads out on the road for the opening round of the 2015 MIAA Championship. The No. 9-seeded RiverHawks (11-15, 7-12 MIAA) are set to meet No. 8 seed Washburn (16-11, 8-11 MIAA) at 7 p.m. March 3 from Lee Arena in Topeka, Kansas.
 
This will be the third meeting this season between the two clubs. The winner of the contest will advance to the MIAA Championship Quarterfinals and will meet top seed and No. 4-ranked Fort Hays State at noon March 6 inside Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Missouri.
 
The all-time series between NSU and the Ichabods is locked up at 3-3. The RiverHawks won the first two meetings, including a 56-51 victory in the second round of the NCAA Championship (March 13, 2010) and a 52-43 triumph when Washburn was ranked No. 9 in the country (Jan. 19, 2013). The Ichabods won both meetings last season including a 56-52 victory in overtime (Feb. 15, 2014). The two teams both won on their home floors this year.
 

Northeastern State's Probable Starters
F	23	Bria Pierce	5-10	Fr-HS	6.8 ppg, 4.1 rpg	Overland Park, Kan.
G	04	Fontana Tate	5-5	Sr-3L	9.5 ppg, 4.0 rpg	Muldrow, Okla.
G	05	Kate Bellamy	5-9	Jr-2L	7.8 ppg, 4.3 rpg	NSW, Australia
G	21	Chelsey Beathard	5-8	Sr-3L	9.7 ppg, 3.5 rpg	Pryor, Okla.
G	22	Sarah Sagely	5-6	Sr-1L	2.8 ppg, 1.6 rpg	West Fork, Ark.
(RV) Washburn's Probable Starters
F	10	Dana Channel	5-10	Sr.	2.5 ppg, 3.9 rpg	Rossville, Kan.
F	44	Honor Duvall	6-1	Sr.	12.0 ppg, 6.1 rpg	Lawton, Okla.
G	03	Casyn Buchman	5-9	Sr.	12.6 ppg, 4.7 rpg	McPherson, Kan.
G	11	Allyssa Nikkel	5-8	Sr.	5.1 ppg, 3.2 rpg	Goddard, Kan.
G	20	Taylor Ignoto	5-8	Sr.	14.0 ppg, 2.5 rpg	Thousand Oaks, Calif.

 
SCOUTING THE ICHABODS
Washburn University is located in Topeka, Kansas, and the team competes in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association. WU finished 16-11 in the regular season and posted an 8-11 mark in MIAA play. The Ichabods finished in eighth place in the final MIAA standings. They have lost six of their last eight games, with the lone victories coming against Nebraska-Kearney (84-67) and NSU (83-58). Taylor Ignoto leads the team in scoring at 14.0 ppg. Casyn Buchman is second in scoring at 12.6 ppg, and Honor Duvall (12.0 ppg, 6.1 rpg) is third in scoring and second in rebounding. The team's leading rebounder is Jayna Smith (5.3 ppg, 6.3 rpg). Washburn averages 68.9 points per game and shoots .422 as a team.
 
THE LAST TIME OUT – #4 FHSU 50, NSU 28
The RiverHawks 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 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.
 
THE LAST TIME THEY MET - WU 83, NSU 58
Northeastern State dropped an 83-58 decision to Washburn Feb. 14 inside Lee Arena. Two days after upsetting No. 9 Emporia State, the RiverHawks were unable to maintain the momentum. Bria Pierce led NSU with 12 points. The team shot 42.9 percent (21-for-49) from the field, 30 percent (6-for-20) from behind the 3-point line and 52.6 percent (10-for-19) at the free-throw line. WU shot 55.4 percent (31-for-56) overall, 42.3 percent (11-for-26) from downtown and 71.4 percent (10-for-14) at the charity stripe. Taylor Ignoto led the Ichabods with 17 points. Honor Duvall added 13, while Janelle Travis had 11 and Erika Lane chipped in 10.
 
KEEPING THE STREAK ALIVE
Northeastern State has been a member of the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association since the 2012-13 academic year. The RiverHawks have nine athletics teams that are eligible for conference postseason tournaments. Both NSU basketball teams have qualified for their respective MIAA Championships, which means Northeastern State remained perfect and is now 22-for-22 in reaching postseason play since joining the league.
 
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 qualified 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. Fort Hays State, Pittsburg State, Emporia State and Missouri Southern State earned the four byes.
 
NSU's GIPSON IN 16TH SEASON
NSU's Randy Gipson (Kentucky, '79) is in his 16th season as the RiverHawks head coach. He entered the year with a 289-146 record at NSU. He has recorded 14 winning seasons at Northeastern State, and he has led the program to seven appearances in the NCAA Championship. His NSU women's basketball teams have earned two NCAA Sweet 16 appearances (2004, '10), while advancing to the NCAA Second Round each of the last two seasons (2011-12). Gipson came to Northeastern State in 1999-00, and he captured six Lone Star Conference North Division Championships in a 12-year span. He also led NSU to the 2003 LSC Tournament Championship, while finishing runner up in the conference tournament on three occasions (2004, '05, '10). He has coached two All-Americans (Jasmine Webb, Taylor Lewis), one MIAA Player of the Year, two LSC Players of the Year and numerous all-conference players during his tenure at Northeastern State.The 2012-13 campaign was the first for the RiverHawks in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association, and the squad finished second in the regular season with a 14-4 league mark. The team landed in the top 10 nationally in six statistical categories, including fewest turnovers per game (3rd), fewest personal fouls per game (4th), three-point field-goal percentage (7th), assist-turnover ratio (9th), scoring defense (10th), and three-point field goals per game (10th). The 2013-14 team placed eighth overall in the conference and advanced to the MIAA Championship quarterfinals. He began his career at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M (NEO), where he spent 11 years leading the Lady Norse. He took NEO to a National Runner-up finish in 1991, and he was named Region II Coach of the Year three times.
 
GO RIVERHAWKS GEAR
Northeastern State University Athletics has partnered with Advanced-Online and has launced its new, one-of-a-kind online shopping site, goriverhawksgear.com. NSU fans have another avenue for acquiring Northeastern State apparel and accessories. The store is loaded with options for fans of all ages, ranging from T-shirts, polos and sweatshirts, to home office supplies, drinkware and kitchen essentials. Every item is branded with official Northeastern State athletics and university logos, and select RiverHawks gear and accessories are customizable. The new online store can be accessed by simply visiting www.goriverhawksgear.com. The shop can also be viewed by clicking on the shopping cart at the top right of www.goriverhawksgo.com, the static graphic underneath the main picture or the rotating horizontal carousel just above the video player.
 
THE EVENT CENTER
The Northeastern State basketball programs are in their second season competing in the 78,200 square foot NSU Event Center. The newly-constructed facility houses the basketball offices and the NSU athletic administration. The project has cost north of $21.2 million and the arena is located adjacent to Doc Wadley Stadium on the north side of the NSU campus.