TAHLEQUAH, Okla. – The Northeastern State men's basketball team has six games to try to get back into one of the coveted top 12 positions in the MIAA standings. The RiverHawks (6-14, 5-11 MIAA) will first play host to Missouri Western State (8-15, 6-11) at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 11 before welcoming No. 23 Northwest Missouri State (17-5, 14-3) at 3:30 p.m. Feb. 13. Both contests will be held inside the NSU Event Center.
 

Northeastern State's Probable Starters
F	24	Dakota Caudill	6-6, 220	Sr-3L	13.8 ppg, 5.8 rpg	Claremore, Okla.
F	33	Erick Broadnax	6-9, 200	Jr-TR	2.1 ppg, 2.9 rpg	Tullahassee, Okla.
G	23	Braxton Williams	6-4, 195	Jr-TR	5.8 ppg, 5.3 rpg	West Plains, Mo.
G	25	Trey Mohair	6-0, 190	Sr-1L	13.7 ppg, 4.5 apg	Denton, Texas
G	30	Peyton Pratt	6-0, 175	Fr-HS	4.7 ppg, 1.6 rpg	Sperry, Okla.
Missouri Western State's Probable Starters
F	13	Xavier Newson	6-4, 200	Jr.	7.5 ppg, 1.8 rpg	Peoria, Ill.
F	24	Kevin Thomas	6-8, 240	Sr.	6.7 ppg, 5.5 rpg	Toronto, Canada
G	00	Aaron Emmanuel	6-2, 195	Jr.	11.0 ppg, 6.0 rpg	Toronto, Canada
G	01	Miles Wentzien	6-3, 185	Fr.	5.2 ppg, 2.7 rpg	Fort Madison, Iowa
G	03	Trey Sampson	6-1, 175	Jr.	13.3 ppg, 2.7 rpg	Cedar Rapids, Iowa

MWSU holds a 5-2 advantage over NSU since the RiverHawks joined the NCAA in 1996-97, which includes victories in the last two matchups.
 
NWMSU owns a 5-1 series record since NSU joined the NCAA in 1996-97. The Bearcats are on a four-game win streak over the RiverHawks, which includes a 78-74 triumph in Maryville earlier this year.
 
THE LAST TIME OUT - UCO 70, NSU 66
NSU fell to Central Oklahoma 70-66 Saturday afternoon inside Hamilton Field House. Dakota Caudill had a monster game with 21 points, 10 rebounds and a career-high five steals in 31 minutes. He registered his fourth double-double of the season and third in the last five games. Trey Mohair tallied 19 points. Northeastern State shot 33.3 percent (23-for-69) from the field, 21.1 percent (8-for-38) from behind 3-point line and 63.2 percent (12-for-19) at the free-throw line. UCO shot 40.4 percent (23-for-57) overall, 25 percent (5-for-20) from distance and 65.5 percent (19-for-29) at the line. Only two Bronchos scored in double figures, and they both tallied just 11 points. Those were Trai Jordan and Corey Alpough. The RiverHawks led in rebounding (49-36), points off turnovers (23-12), second-chance points (16-3) and fast-break points (21-18). UCO led in assists (14-8), blocks (5-2), steals (18-13), points in the paint (34-28), bench points (29-20) and fewer turnovers (20-25).
 
THE LAST TIME THEY MET - MWSU 84, NSU 69
Northeastern State lost 84-69 to Missouri Western State inside MWSU Fieldhouse on Jan. 2. No starter for NSU scored more than six points as the five starters combined for just 20 points. Killven Samuel entered the contest with just four points total scored in the first half of the year, and he finished with 16 points on 7-of-11 shooting off the bench. Montre' Williams added 15 points, while Braxton Williams hauled in 11 rebounds. Northeastern State shot 34.7 percent (25-for-72) from the field, 26.1 percent (6-for-23) from behind the 3-point line and 54.2 percent (13-for-24) at the free-throw line. MWSU shot 42.1 percent (24-for-57) from the field, 32 percent (8-for-25) from beyond the arc and 75.7 percent (28-for-37) at the charity stripe. Trey Sampson only needed nine shot attempts to finish with a game-high 23 points as he was a perfect 10-for-10 at the free-throw line. Miles Wentzien came off the bench to contribute 16 points, while Aaron Emmanuel added 13 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds for the winning cause. The Griffons led in rebounding (48-44), assists (16-11), blocks (8-3), points off turnovers (17-12), and second-chance points (13-7). NSU led in steals (8-4), points in the paint (34-30) and bench points (49-38).
 
THE LAST TIME THEY MET - NWMSU 78, NSU 74
NSU dropped a narrow 78-74 road decision to Northwest Missouri State inside Bearcat Arena on Jan. 4. Dakota Caudill tallied a career-high 24 points while adding six rebounds in 27 minutes. Trey Mohair poured in 18 points and fellow Killven Samuel added 12 off the bench. Samuel registered just four points total in the first half of the season and has erupted for 28 in his last two games. NSU converted 50 percent (31-for-62) of its field-goal attempts, while shooting 33.3 percent (6-for-18) from behind the 3-point line and 46.2 percent (6-for-13) at the free-throw line. NWMSU shot 45.1 percent (23-for-51) overall, 44 percent (11-for-25) from distance and 75 percent (21-for-28) at the line. Justin Pitts paced the Bearcats with 21 points, seven assists and six rebounds. Conner Crooker added 16, Zach Schneider netted 13 and Chris-Ebou Ndow tallied 11. The RiverHawks dominated the glass by a 38-27 margin. NSU also led in assists (13-12), blocks (5-0), points in the paint (42-24), and bench production (27-12). Northwest Missouri State led in steals (7-2), points off turnovers (16-10) and fewer turnovers (8-11).
 
WHERE THEY STAND
NSU is currently 5-11 in league play and is in 13th place in the MIAA standings. If the season were to end today, the RiverHawks would be one of two teams, along with Southwest Baptist, who would miss out on the 2016 MIAA Championship.
 
REBOUND KINGS
Northeastern State was the worst rebounding team in the MIAA last season and was amongst the worst rebounding teams in the nation, but that has flipped dramatically this year. The RiverHawks are 12th in the MIAA in rebounds allowed per game (36.7), and they are currently second in the league in rebounds gained per game (38.0) and sixth in rebounding margin (+1.4). By comparison, NSU grabbed 30.0 rebounds per game last season, while conceding 37.5 per game. The team was last in the MIAA in rebounds, rebounds allowed and rebound margin (-7.5). The RiverHawks had a three-game stretch this year where they posted a +10 rebounding margin or better (+11 against Northwest Missouri State, +15 against Washburn, +13 against Emporia State). This was the first time since the university joined the NCAA in 1996-97 that NSU won the rebound battle by at least 10 in three-consecutive games.
 

NCAA CATEGORY	2014-15 Rank	2015-16 Rank
Rebounding Margin	286	129
Total Rebounds	284	221
Offensive Rebounds Per Game	216	8
Defensive Rebounds Per Game	290	264

 
STRUGGLING AWAY FROM HOME
Northeastern State is currently enjoying Year 2 of the Jason Tinsley era. During that time, however, the RiverHawks have not fared well away from the friendly confines of the NSU Event Center. Over the last two seasons, NSU is just 1-23 on the road, which includes a 1-13 mark last season and a 0-10 record this year. The lone road win for Northeastern State over the past two years came on Feb. 12, 2015, when the team was able to get past Emporia State 73-63. NSU is currently on a 12-game losing streak on the road. The RiverHawks were able to pick up a neutral-site victory earlier this season when they defeated Northwestern Oklahoma State 92-90 on Nov. 14 in Durant, Oklahoma. 
 
RETURNING JUST 3
NSU entered the 2015-16 campaign with just three players who have stepped on the court for the RiverHawks prior to this year. Senior forward Dakota Caudill had posted the most experience, as he is currently in his fifth year with the program. Senior guard Trey Mohair and sophomore guard Montre' Williams are both in their second seasons donning the green and white. Junior guard Mytaa'h Crawford and freshman guard Mike Thompson were both on the team last season, but they redshirted and did not see any playing time. In total, NSU's current lineup features eight newcomers. That includes one senior transfer (Killven Samuel), five junior transfers (Erick Broadnax, Braxton Williams, Javon Wallace, KD Moore, Stefon Rich) and two true freshmen (Peyton Pratt, Tanner Mouse). There is also another junior transfer (Scott Kingsley) and two more true freshmen (Gordon Hill, Trent Cantrell) who are sitting out the season.