TAHLEQUAH, Okla. – The Northeastern State women's basketball team will play host to both Washburn and Emporia State in the first home games of 2016 this upcoming weekend. The contest against the Ichabods (9-4, 5-2 MIAA) will begin at 5:30 p.m. Jan. 7, while the game with the No. 8-ranked Hornets (11-2, 5-2 MIAA) is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Jan. 9. Both games will be played inside the NSU Event Center.
 

Northeastern State's Probable Starters
F	15	Mary Jane Buschmann	5-11	Jr-TR	13.8 ppg, 5.8 rpg	St. James, Mo.
G	04	Alexis Hill	5-6	So-1L	3.2 ppg, 4.6 rpg	Garland, Texas
G	05	Kate Bellamy	5-9	Sr-3L	8.9 ppg, 5.2 rpg	NSW, Australia
G	20	Cailyn Long	6-0	Fr-HS	7.8 ppg, 2.5 rpg	Sparta, Mo.
G	22	Kylie Looney	5-8	Fr-HS	7.2 ppg, 2.0 apg	Adair, Okla.
Washburn's Probable Starters
F	10	Haley Pfau	5-11	Sr.	7.3 ppg, 3.5 rpg	Oskaloosa, Kan.
F	24	Jayna Smith	5-10	Sr.	5.6 ppg, 9.4 rpg	Holton, Kan.
C	23	Felisha Gibbs	6-2	Jr.	8.7 ppg, 6.6 rpg	Parkin, Ark.
G	04	Erika Lane	5-10	Jr.	9.9 ppg, 3.6 rpg	Topeka, Kan.
G	21	Julie Ravn	5-9	Jr.	7.8 ppg, 1.5 apg	Horsens, Denmark

NSU leads the all-time series against Washburn by a 4-3 margin. 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 two years ago, which included a 56-52 victory in overtime (Feb. 15, 2014). The two teams both won on their home floors during the regular season last year, and NSU went back to Topeka and upset the Ichabods in the first round of the MIAA Championship.
 
Emporia State holds a 5-4 series advantage since the RiverHawks joined the NCAA in 1996-97. The Hornets won the first three meetings, but NSU earned the next three victories which included a season sweep in 2012-13. NSU also took down an ESU team that was undefeated and ranked No. 2 in the first meeting of 2013-14 (59-44). The Lady Hornets won the second meeting on Feb. 12, 2014 (80-61). The two teams won on each other's home floors last year, which included NSU's thrilling 58-56 overtime thriller over then-No. 9 ESU on Feb. 12, 2015.
 
THE LAST TIME OUT – NSU 66, NWMSU 60
NSU earned a 66-60 victory over Northwest Missouri State Monday evening inside Bearcat Arena. The RiverHawks picked up their second conference win of the season and their first on the road, while the Bearcats remained winless in league play. Junior forward Mary Jane Buschmann scored a season-high 24 points on 10-of-18 shooting. True freshmen guards Kylie Looney (12) and Cailyn Long (11) both tallied double-digit scoring efforts, while senior guard Kate Bellamy contributed 10 points of her own. NSU connected on 42.6 percent (26-for-61) of shots from the field, 41.7 percent (10-for-24) from behind the 3-point line and 57.1 percent (4-for-7) at the free-throw stripe. NWMSU shot 43.1 percent (25-for-58) overall, 33.3 percent (9-for-27) from the arc and made its only free-throw attempt of the entire game. Both Tanya Meyer and Tember Schechinger scored 19 points for the losing side, while Schechinger added 11 rebounds for the double-double.
 
THE LAST TIME THEY MET - NSU 59, WU 46
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.
 
THE LAST TIME THEY MET - NSU 58, ESU 56 (OT)
The RiverHawks took down No. 9 Emporia State 58-56 in overtime Thursday night inside White Auditorium. NSU was 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. Freshman forward Bria Pierce led the RiverHawks with 12 points, while junior forward Danielle Robertson contributed 10 points to the winning cause. Both players fouled out late in regulation. Senior guard Fontana Tate tallied eight points and nine rebounds, while junior guard Kate Bellamy posted nine points, five rebounds and a career-high five steals.
 
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 2016 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 Feb. 29, 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 3, 5-6. The RiverHawks have advanced to the MIAA Championship Quarterfinals in all three years since joining the league in 2012-13.
 
NSU's GIPSON IN 17TH SEASON
NSU's Randy Gipson (Kentucky, '79) is in his 17th season as the RiverHawks head coach. He entered the year with a 301-163 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. The 2014-15 team placed ninth overall and also made it 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.
 
NSU SELECTED 10TH IN MIAA PRESEASON POLLS
The Northeastern State women's basketball team was picked to finish 10th in the 2015-16 MIAA Preseason Coaches' Poll, the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association. The RiverHawks earned 57 points in the coaches' poll and were projected to finish one place lower than their ninth-place effort from a season ago. Emporia State was projected to run away with the league title, as the Hornets received 169 points and all but one first-place vote. Fort Hays State picked up the only other first-place vote (coaches are not allowed to vote for their own team) and landed in second with 147 points. Central Missouri (135), Pittsburg State (128) and Missouri Western State (124) were all projected to finish inside the top five.
 
THE STARTING FIVE
Randy Gipson-coached teams are usually known for consistency at the top of the lineup. The past three years, however, have been much different for Northeastern State. The team utilized 10 different starting lineups two years ago and utilized 13 different starting combinations last year. Through the first 13 games of the 2015-16 season, NSU has already used eight different starting lineups. The 11 different student-athletes to have started at least once this year are Mary Jane Buschmann, Hailey Chamberlin, Destiny Strange, Minja Savic, Kate Bellamy, Alexis Hill, Cailyn Long, Miranda Griffin, Caley Shaffstall, Kylie Looney, and Danielle Robertson (no longer with the program).
 
TICKETS REQUIRED FOR ENTRY IN 2015-16
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.
 
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.
 
2 NEWCOMERS SIGN DURING EARLY PERIOD
Northeastern State women's basketball coach Randy Gipson has announced the signing of Lauryn Blevins and Tatiana McCree for the 2016-17 season. Blevins is a 6-foot-2 forward/center from Claremore, Oklahoma. She averaged 10.2 points per game and 6.6 rebounds per game as a junior at Claremore High School under the guidance of Stephanie Shaw. She was named to the Port City Classic All-Tournament Team last season, which included a game where she posted 18 points and 21 rebounds. She is the daughter of Heath Blevins and intends to major in human performance/coaching. McCree is a 5-foot-8 guard from Grandview, Missouri. She is a letterwinner from Grandview High School under the tutelage of Reggie Morris. She averaged 16.7 points per game, 3.8 rebounds per game, 1.6 assists per game and 2.2 steals per game her junior year. She was named to the All-Suburban Six Conference First Team last season. She was also named to the All-Missouri Class 4A District 14 First Team and All-Kansas City Suburban Blue Conference First Team. She is the daughter of Anthony and Nicole McCree and projects to major in business.