The headline: Northeastern State will have a short day trip to Joplin looking to snap a four game skid after playing back-to-back home contests against teams ranked inside the top-12 in the nation.  The RiverHawks have averaged 46-points in their last three games but they will face a Missouri Southern squad that allows a MIAA high, 74.3 points per game.  Rylie Torrey is third in scoring in the MIAA with 17.6 points per outing for NSU and has scored 10 points in all 17 contests she has played in an RiverHawks uniform.  Cailyn Long is half way to NSU's 1,000 point club in less than two seasons; the Northeastern State sophomore has scored 509 points in 44 games played.

At the line: Northeastern State leads the MIAA and is tenth the nation in free-throw percentage.  The RiverHawks entering this Wednesday's contest are 78.2-percent at the line with Rylie Torrey seventh at 89.4-percent.  NSU's best season at the line was in 1990-91 season were they went 75.7-percent during the NAIA era.

Last time out for NSU: Northeastern State nearly upset #12 Central Oklahoma in a 43-39 defensive MIAA battle on Saturday at the NSU Event Center. 

The RiverHawks held the Bronchos to 23.6-percent shooting which was their best effort since Nov. 13, 2015 against Northwestern Oklahoma where NSU held the Rangers to 24.2-percent.   NSU's rebounding effort of 50 matched their season best that was set in the second game of the season, and it was the third time this year the RiverHawks grabbed more boards than their opponent.

Rylie Torrey led the RiverHawks with 12 points and she grabbed six rebounds, Cailyn Long scored eight with a team high nine rebounds; Mary Jane Buschmann added seven with five boards.

The RiverHawks shot a season low 25.4-percent (15-59) against a Bronchos' squad who had the sixth best field goal defense in the nation heading into Saturday's contest.  Central Oklahoma went 13-55 from the field and made six treys on 24 attempts, along with 39 rebounds.

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Northeastern State (6-11, 2-7 MIAA) at Missouri Southern (10-9, 5-5 MIAA)
Jan. 25, 2017 | 5:30 p.m. | Joplin, Mo.
Live Stats | Live Video | Live Audio | Game Notes

The series with Missouri Southern: This will be the 28th meeting between the RiverHawks and Lions with Northeastern State leading the overall series 15-12.  Missouri Southern has won the last four meetings and holds a 6-3 series lead on their home court.  In MIAA play, the RiverHawks trail 3-2 and last won in Joplin on Jan. 10, 2013 (50-34).   Northeastern State saw their 2015-16 season come to an end to the Lions, 73-55, in the opening round of the MIAA Tournament in Joplin. 

Last time out for Missouri Southern: The Missouri Southern Lions held the lead for most of the game, but the ninth ranked Emporia State Lady Hornets proved too strong as ESU came away with the 74-65 win Sunday afternoon at the William L. White Auditorium.

Missouri Southern was led by junior Julianna Wadsworth with a career high 18 points. Sophomore Desirea Buerge added 13 and senior Deb Holcomb chipped in 12 for the Lions. 

Southern finished the game shooting 43.3 percent, 26-for-60, from the field while the Lady Hornets finished 25-for-57, 43.9 percent. The Lions forced Emporia State into 20 turnovers while committing just 15. ESU won the rebound battle 43-26 and led in steals 7-4.

Scouting Missouri Southern:  The Lions have lost their last two games in a row falling on the road at Washburn and Emporia State.  In Joplin this season, Missouri Southern is 5-2 overall, with Deb Holcomb fifth in scoring in the MIAA at 16.9 points per game.  Holcomb leads the league with 120 made field goals and she is 12th with 15 blocked shots.  Missouri Southern frequently goes up to the free-throw line and they are seventh nationally in made free-throws.  On the scoring side of the ball, MSSU is fourth in the MIAA with 74.5 points per game but are 275th out of 307 in scoring defense.   Teams are shooting 45-percent against Missouri Southern which is eighth worst in the nation, and at defending three-pointers they are 36.2-percent, 17th highest nationally.