The headline: Tanner Mouse averaged 16 points in the last two games for the RiverHawks who enter into a three game home stand with Washburn and Emporia State visiting this week; Central Oklahoma comes to the Event Center next Saturday with no weekday contest on tap. In MIAA play, the RiverHawks sit on top of the league at the free-throw line where they are 81.5-percent and on defense they are fifth best against MIAA schools by holding them to a 43.5-percent shooting average.
Montre' Williams is eleventh scoring against MIAA programs averaging 14.5 points per game.
Last time out for NSU: Fouls and free-throws came out to be the headline from Northeastern State's Saturday night 81-65 road loss at Lincoln. A total of 21 fouls were called against NSU with the Blue Tigers being sent to the line 34 times.
Lincoln was called for a season low ten fouls and put Northeastern State at the line only seven times, their lowest since Nov. 18, 2014 at Harding.
Tanner Mouse paced the RiverHawks on the road with a career high 18 points, the NSU sophomore had four treys, four assists, and four rebounds.
Braxton Williams added 14 and had six boards,
Montre' Williams scored 11 with three treys that all came consecutively in the first half, he also had a career mark for assists with nine.
Erick Broadnax smashed down four blocks for a career mark to best his prior total by one.
Northeastern State led as many and ten points in the first half off of 51.7-percent shooting and contest didn't get away from NSU until the teams came back from the intermission. Neither NSU or Lincoln shot the ball well in the second half with the RiverHawks going 8-of-31 and the Blue Tigers making 10-of-27. A difference marker to split the contest was 21 free-throw opportunities where Lincoln scored 17 of their 41 second half points off of; the RiverHawks were 4-of-4 from the free-throw line in final 20 minutes.
Northeastern State (3-11, 2-4 MIAA) vs. Washburn (10-4, 2-3 MIAA)
Jan. 12, 2017 | 7:30 p.m. | NSU Event Center
Live Stats | Live Video | Live Audio | Game Notes
The series with Washburn: The RiverHawks have had Washburn's number in Tahlequah and won all four home meetings. In the overall series, NSU leads 7-2, with the RiverHawks winning five out of the last six, and sweeping last season's home-and-home.
Last time out for Washburn: Washburn used a 28-to-8 second half run to rally back from a 19-point half time deficit to take a 75-73 lead with 3.7 second remaining. However, Emporia State hit a half court shot at the buzzer for the win on ESU's home court. Drew Pyle led WU with 17 points with three others in double-figure scoring. Washburn was out-rebounded 36-to-24 in the loss with Brady Skeens having seven has a team high.
Scouting Washburn: The headline for Washburn this season is Bob Chipman who is sitting on 798 wins in his 38th and final season as head coach. Washburn opened the season with eight straight wins before hitting a roller-coaster in dropping two, winning two, and dropping two in the last five weeks. The Ichabods as a team lead the nation in blocks at 6.2 per game and total blocks at 87 and Brady Skeens is third in the nation with 3.5 blocks per game. Junior guard Cameron Wiggins is ranked 14th in the MIAA in scoring at 14.2 points per game.
Northeastern State vs. Emporia State (7-7, 3-2 MIAA)
Jan. 14, 2017 | 3:30 p.m. | NSU Event Center
Live Stats | Live Video | Live Audio | Game Notes
The series with Emporia State: Northeastern State trails the overall series 8-6 against the Hornets but on the RiverHawks home floor, NSU has a 4-2 series lead. The RiverHawks have won three out of the last four meetings with Empoira State.
Last time out for Emporia State: The Hornets for the second time in three years won on a half court buzzer beater against Washburn with a Brandon Hall half court shot to win the 208th edition of the Turnpike Tussle. Hall was one five Hornets in double figures with 21 points and six assists. He was joined by Jevon Taylor with 13 points while Tyler Jordan, Stephaun Limuel and Garin Vandiver all scored ten points.
Scouting Emporia State: Empoira State will visit Central Oklahoma prior to seeing NSU on Saturday. The Hornets have won their last three in a row with their last loss coming at home to Lincoln, 69-58 on Dec. 17, 2016. Brandon Hall is tenth in the MIAA in scoring with 15.7 point per game and he will take the majority of ESU's shots with 199 he is sixth overall. The Hornets get called for plenty of fouls and they are in the bottom-50 nationally with 306 called this season. From the arc, teams are shooting 38.8-percent which is second to last in MIAA and 261 out of 305 in Division II men's basketball.
