Northeastern State (4-7) at Oklahoma Baptist  (3-6)
Dec. 31, 2016 | 2 p.m. | Shawnee, Okla.
Live Stats | Live Video | Game Notes

The headline: Northeastern State is playing on New Year's Eve for this first time since the 2011-12 independent season and will reopen a series with nearby Oklahoma Baptist in their first meeting in 21 years.  Kylie Looney has been NSU's spark plug in their last three games by averaging nearly 17 points during that span. Rylie Torrey has continued her streak of games in double-figures in all 11 she has played in a RiverHawks uniform.  Additionally, this will be NSU's final non-conference contest of the regular season. 

The series with OBU: The RiverHawks lead the once dormant series 12-11 with Saturday's meeting the first since the 1995-96 season.  Northeastern State has lost their last four in a row to the Lady Bison and not beaten OBU since the 1992-93 season.  

Last time out for NSU: Southern Arkansas hit a game-tying trey to force overtime and beat Northeastern State 73-65 to spoil an 18-point effort by Kylie Looney on Dec. 19.

Looney hit a career high six three-pointers, breaking her previous mark by one which was set on Dec. 13 inside the NSU Event Center against Bacone.

Northeastern State trailed as-many-as 13 points early in the third quarter and pulled within two by the end of the period.  The key momentum change happened midway through the fourth quarter with a 9-2 run by the RiverHawks take a 57-54 lead with 3:33 left in regulation.  Neither team could make a bucket until SAU hit a trey with 45 seconds left and NSU would not get off a go-ahead shot to force the contest to overtime.

Last time out for OBU: Oklahoma Baptist got double figure scoring from three players in an 81-58 loss to Harding.  Aliyah White led OBU with 13 points, followed by Katy Custer with 12 and Lexi Williams with 11.  Custer and White pulled seven rebounds each. Cameerah Graves had five assists and three steals.  OBU played the final three quarters close but didn't overcome a 31-15 first quarter deficit.

Scouting OBU: Oklahoma Baptist has been off since Dec. 3 and they are at the end off a six game home stand.  In nine games played this season, the Lady Bison have three wins with only one coming against a NCAA Division II program.  OBU beat Rogers State 73-71, a team that Northeastern State played on the road and won 73-64.    Against teams in the MIAA this season, the Lady Bison are 0-2 with losses to Missouri Southern and Emporia State.  Tasha Edge leads OBU with 12.7 points and 8.2 rebounds.