TAHLEQUAH, Okla. – The Northeastern State women's basketball team lost 51-43 to Nebraska-Kearney Saturday afternoon at the NSU Event Center.
 
The RiverHawks (8-20, 5-17 MIAA) dropped their last four games to end the regular season, but they still secured the No. 11 seed in the 2016 MIAA Championship. NSU will meet No. 6 Missouri Southern State at 5:30 p.m. Feb. 29 in the opening round in Joplin, Missouri. The winner will travel to Kansas City for the remainder of the tournament, which will be held inside Municipal Auditorium. The Lopers (15-13, 11-11 MIAA) locked up the No. 8 seed in the tourney and will play host to No. 9 Southwest Baptist.
 
In Saturday's loss, Northeastern State was led by a pair of true freshman guards. Cailyn Long tallied 14 points, while Kylie Looney scored 11. True freshman forward Hailey Chamberlin finished with seven points, three blocks and a career-high 10 rebounds.
 
NSU shot 31.3 percent (15-for-48) overall, 22.7 percent (5-for-22) from behind the 3-point arc and 88.9 percent (8-for-9) at the free-throw line. Nebraska-Kearney shot 28.1 percent (16-for-57) from the field, 29.6 percent (8-for-27) from downtown and 84.6 percent (11-for-13) at the charity stripe.
 
Alexa Hogberg led UNK with 11 points, while Laramey Becker chipped in 10. Imani Kyser hauled in a game-high 13 rebounds, and Bri Starks pulled down 11 boards.
 
NSU led in blocks (6-5), steals (5-4) and points in the paint (18-12). UNK led in rebounding (40-37), assists (9-8), points off turnovers (12-10), second-chance points (15-4), fast-break points (2-0), bench points (11-9), and fewer turnovers (7-11).
 
Missouri Southern State and Northeastern State met just once this year, which was a 62-55 win for MSSU in Joplin on Dec. 5.

-GoRiverHawksGo.com-