TAHLEQUAH – Cailyn Long led the RiverHawks with 16 points but NSU fell 78-53 to UA-Fort Smith in their home opener on Tuesday night at the NSU Event Center.
 
Rylie Torrey left the floor with 13 points but the RiverHawks would shoot 31.6-percent (18-57) from the field while going 8-for-27 at the three-point arc.   UA-Fort Smith shot 43.8-percent on the floor on 28-of-62 shooting while going 11-for-26 from long range.
 
"I feel like we have a good shooting team but think you still have to establish something more in the lane and we didn't do that," said head coach Randy Gipson.  "I think some panic set in and we were having some real trouble guarding them (UAFS)…we have to take this as a learning experience."
 
"We can look at this and find a lot to work on in practice and I want to think that our kids will respond and come back in a competitive way."
 
NSU opened the contest in front of the Lady Lions early in the first quarter but UAFS controlled the final five minutes on a 15-2 run in favor of the visitors.  The Lady Lions kept the momentum in the second quarter holding NSU to seven points while scoring 19 to take a 44-22 lead at the half. 
 
Out of the locker room, NSU couldn't cut into the UAFS lead and it remained at least a 20-point difference the rest of the way.
 
The Lady Lions controlled the glass with 49 rebounds to NSU's 30.  Turnovers were even at 15 a piece but UAFS would pick up 25 to the RiverHawks' 12.  
 
Destiny Strange led NSU with six boards, Long had five and two steals.  Alexis Hill dished out seven assists and added three rebounds.   
 
UA-Fort Smith had four in double-figures with Zhanesha Dickerson and Sydney Franklin both having 14 each.
 
The RiverHawks will go to 2-2 overall and UAFS moves to 3-3 this season.
 
Northeastern State will return to the floor on Saturday, Nov. 26 to host Southwestern Oklahoma at 1:30 p.m.
 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Alexis Hill's seven assists were a career high, her previous best was six against the same squad last year.
- The overall series with UA-Fort Smith is now 3-2 with NSU holding onto the series lead.
- Cailyn Long has made 23 straight free-throws.
 
UA-FORT SMITH (3-3)
Sydney Franklin 5-14 0-0 14; Zhanesha Dickerson 6-11 2-2 14; Olivia Hanson 3-7 4-6 13; Maya Perry 5-8 2-2 13; Tayla Taylor 4-9 1-2 9; Micayla Haynes 3-10 1-2 8; Tamera Gulley 1-2 1-2 4; Gabryella Castillo 1-3 0-0 3. Totals 28-64 11-16 78.
 
NORTHEASTERN STATE (2-2)
Long, Cailyn 5-15 5-5 16; Torrey, Rylie 4-13 2-4 13; Looney, Kylie 4-12 0-0 9; Buschmann, Mary Jane 3-6 0-0 7; Griffin, Miranda 1-2 0-0 3; Hill, Alexis 1-2 0-0 3; Strange, Destiny 0-4 2-2 2; Bureau, Storm 0-1 0-0 0; Chamberlin, Hailey 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 18-57 9-11 53.
 
UA-Fort Smith.................   25   19   17   17  -   78
Northeastern State............   15    7   15   16  -   53
 
3-point goals--UA-Fort Smith 11-26 (Sydney Franklin 4-7; Olivia Hanson 3-7; Maya Perry 1-3; Gabryella Castillo 1-2; Micayla Haynes 1-4; Tamera Gulley 1-1; Zhanesha Dickerson 0-2), Northeastern State 8-27 (Torrey, Rylie 3-8; Hill, Alexis 1-2; Long, Cailyn 1-8; Buschmann, Mary Jane 1-2; Looney, Kylie 1-5; Griffin, Miranda 1-2).
Fouled out--UA-Fort Smith-None, Northeastern State-None.
Rebounds--UA-Fort Smith 49 (Tayla Taylor 12), Northeastern State 30 (Strange, Destiny 6). Assists--UA-Fort Smith 18 (Maya Perry 4; Sydney Franklin 4), Northeastern State 14 (Hill, Alexis 7).
Total fouls--UA-Fort Smith 15, Northeastern State 14.
Technical fouls--UA-Fort Smith-None, Northeastern State-None