TAHLEQUAH, Okla. – The Northeastern State women's basketball team enters the final two weeks of the season in position to qualify for berth in the MIAA Championship playoffs. NSU (8-16, 5-13 MIAA) will hit the road for the final two times this season beginning with a road tilt at Washburn (13-11, 9-9 MIAA) beginning at 5:30 p.m. Feb. 17 inside Lee Arena (4,150) in Topeka, Kansas. The RiverHawks will then head over to Emporia, Kansas, to meet No. 22 Emporia State (19-5, 13-5 MIAA) at 1:30 p.m. Feb. 20 inside White Auditorium (5,000).
 

Northeastern State's Probable Starters
G	04	Alexis Hill	5-6	So-1L	4.9 ppg, 4.0 rpg	Garland, Texas
G	05	Kate Bellamy	5-9	Sr-3L	10.9 ppg, 5.3 rpg	NSW, Australia
G	20	Cailyn Long	6-0	Fr-HS	8.8 ppg, 3.0 rpg	Sparta, Mo.
G	21	Eriyonna Irvin	5-7	Fr-HS	2.6 ppg, 2.9 rpg	Lee's Summit, Mo.
G	22	Kylie Looney	5-8	Fr-HS	7.1 ppg, 2.3 apg	Adair, Okla.
Washburn's Probable Starters
F	03	Erin Dohnalek	6-1	Jr.	8.5 ppg, 3.3 rpg	Lee's Summit, Mo.
F	24	Jayna Smith	5-10	Sr.	5.7 ppg, 9.3 rpg	Holton, Kan.
F	32	Alyxis Bowens	6-2	Jr.	11.1 ppg, 5.0 rpg	Derby, Kan.
G	04	Erika Lane	5-10	Jr.	10.4 ppg, 3.7 rpg	Topeka, Kan.
G	15	Jharian Bowen	5-11	Jr.	3.3 ppg, 1.3 rpg	Wichita, Kan.

NSU and Washburn are tied 4-4 in the all-time series. 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. Washburn defeated Northeastern State 56-46 in Tahlequah earlier this season.
 
Emporia State holds a 6-4 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. Emporia State came to Tahlequah earlier this year and thumped NSU 87-58.
 
THE LAST TIME OUT – NSU 50, NWMSU 35
Northeastern State topped Northwest Missouri State 50-35 Saturday afternoon inside the NSU Event Center. The point total for the Bearcats (5-20, 3-16 MIAA) was their lowest in a game since the 1998-99 season against Southwest Baptist (72-35 loss). This was also the lowest amount scored against the RiverHawks since Jan. 3, 2008 (54-35 win over Midwestern State). Kate Bellamy paced the winning effort with 10 points and 10 rebounds. This was Bellamy's second double-double in her last three games and the third of her career. Cailyn Long led all scorers with 14 points. Northeastern State shot 34.7 percent (17-for-49) from the field, 21.1 percent (4-for-19) from downtown and 80 percent (12-for-15) at the free-throw stripe. The Bearcats were held to just 25.5 percent (14-for-55) overall, 7.1 percent (1-for-14) from distance and 60 percent (6-for-10) at the line. Tember Schechinger was the lone Northwest Missouri State player in double figures. She tallied 13 points, 10 rebounds and six turnovers. The RiverHawks led in assists (15-5), steals (4-2), points off turnovers (12-4), bench points (16-13) and fewer turnovers (8-12). NWMSU led in rebounding (40-37), second-chance points (6-2) and points in the paint (24-18).
 
THE LAST TIME THEY MET - WU 56, NSU 46
NSU lost 56-46 to Washburn on Jan. 7 inside the NSU Event Center. Kate Bellamy scored a career-high 19 points on 6-of-10 shooting. She was also a perfect 7-for-7 at the free-throw line. Mary Jane Buschmann needed 15 shots to get to 13 points and was the only other member of the team in double figures. NSU shot 33.3 percent (16-for-48) from the field, 26.1 percent (6-for-23) from behind the arc and 80 percent (8-for-10) at the free-throw line. The Ichabods shot 33.9 percent (21-for-62) overall, 20 percent (5-for-25) from distance and 90 percent (9-for-10) at the charity stripe. Haley Pfau used 13 shots to amass 13 points for the visitors. Felisha Gibbs and Erika Lane both scored 12, while Alyxis Bowens contributed 10 off the bench. Jayna Smith was just 1-for-7 from the field and only scored two points, but she pulled down 20 rebounds and added four assists and two steals in 37 minutes. This marked the second time this season an NSU opponent registered at least 20 rebounds in a game. Washburn led in rebounding (46-29), steals (6-3), second-chance points (10-4), bench points (10-2) and fewer turnovers (7-9). NSU led in blocks (6-2) and points off turnovers (7-5).
 
THE LAST TIME THEY MET - #8 ESU 87, NSU 58
The RiverHawks fell 87-58 to No. 8 Emporia State on Jan. 9 inside the NSU Event Center. Kate Bellamy tallied a career-high 19 points for the second-straight game. Cailyn Long added 14 points and Mary Jane Buschmann contributed 10. NSU shot 39.3 percent (22-for-56) from the field, 28.6 percent (4-for-14) from behind the 3-point line and made all 100 of its free throws. ESU converted on 44.1 percent (30-for-68) of overall attempts, 41.2 percent (14-for-34) from the arc and 86.7 percent (13-for-15) from the free-throw line. Sandra Ngoie led the Lady Hornets with 21 points and 12 rebounds. Kelly Moten registered 18 points, seven assists, four rebounds, four blocks and two steals in 30 minutes. Kelsey Barnwell added 13 points and Kathryn Flott scored 11. The RiverHawks led in points off the bench (19-15) and fewer turnovers (10-11). Emporia State led in rebounding (48-25), assists (20-14), blocks (8-3), steals (8-7), points off turnovers (13-6) and second-chance points (19-7).
 
WHERE THEY STAND
NSU is currently 5-13 in league play and is in 11th place in the MIAA standings. If the season were to end today, the RiverHawks would earn the No. 11 seed and would travel to No. 6 seed Missouri Southern State on Feb. 29 in the first round of the MIAA Championship. The winner of that contest would join seven other schools in Kansas City for the remainder of the tournament. Missouri Western State, Fort Hays State, Pittsburg State and Emporia State are all slated to earn the four byes to KC.
 
SCORING IN DOUBLE FIGURES
No member of the NSU women's basketball team averaged double-digit scoring a season ago, but the RiverHawks have two players who are averaging double figures this year. Junior transfer Mary Jane Buschmann leads the team at 13.0 points per game, while senior Kate Bellamy is averaging a career-high 10.9 ppg. Buschmann has notched double figures in 14 games this year. She also has three 20-point games. Bellamy owns 15 double-digit performances. True freshman Cailyn Long is third on the team in scoring at 8.8 ppg and had a season-best 27-point explosion earlier this year. Only once last season did a member of the team score at least 20 points in a game.
 
ROAD STRUGGLES
The RiverHawks have not fared well away from home over the past three seasons. NSU posted a 7-6 road record in 2012-13, but the green and white is just 11-31 away from the NSU Event Center since 2013-14. Northeastern State has gone 10-26 in true road games and 1-5 in neutral-site contests. The RiverHawks have been able to post three true road victories and one neutral-site triumph this season.
 
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 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 in 2013-14 and had 13 different starting combinations in 2014-15. Through the first 24 games of the 2015-16 season, NSU has used 12 different starting lineups. The 13 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, Eriyonna Irvin, Taylor Jones, and Danielle Robertson (no longer with the program).
 
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.
 
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.
 
NSU TRAMPLES #2 LADY HORNETS
The RiverHawks handed No. 2 Emporia State its first loss of the season with a dominant 59-44 victory on Jan. 22 inside the NSU Event Center. The RiverHawks led wire-to-wire and earned their second win over a ranked opponent after taking down then-No. 23 Fort Hays State 49-48 on Jan. 18. The Lady Hornets (17-1, 8-1 MIAA) were held to their lowest point total since scoring 42 against Pittsburg State nearly two years ago (Feb. 15, 2012). The previous season low for Emporia State was 67. ESU also posted a 24.6 shooting percentage after finishing 15 of 61 from the field. The percentage was the worst recorded in a game by the Lady Hornets since a 65-51 loss at Central Missouri on Jan. 2, 1997. Emporia State also shot 22.2 percent (4-for-18) from downtown and 62.5 percent (10-for-16) at the free-throw line. The team did not have a player score in double figures for the first time since a 64-42 loss to Washburn on Jan. 25, 1995. Desiree Wylie led with nine points, and Amber Vandiver finished with seven points and a game-high 10 rebounds. Leading scorer Laura Patrick, who entered the game averaging 15.1 ppg, was held to just eight points. Merissa Quick was averaging 11.6 ppg and she finished with just five, while Kionna Kellog averaged 10.2 ppg but was held to just four. Fontana Tate led NSU with a game- and career-high 23 points. She also registered nine rebounds. Che'Ron Lewis added 12 points and five assists. The Lady Hornets are the highest-ranked team to fall to NSU in school history. The RiverHawks have also now won three straight against ESU.