The headline: Northeastern State has won three out of their last four heading into the new year with the rest of the slate being MIAA contests.  With Lindenwood and Lincoln a combined 1-7 in MIAA play, the RiverHawks with a good week have a opportunity to climb up the league standings.  Sophomore Rylie Torrey is third in the MIAA with 17.7 points per game and has hit double-figure scoring in all 12 contests this season.   Kylie Looney has scored at least ten points in the last four games, and has averaged just over 15 points during that span.

At the line: Northeastern State leads the MIAA and is seventh in the nation in free-throw percentage.  The RiverHawks entering this week's contests are 78.6-percent at the line with Cailyn Long sixth overall at 93-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 closed out 2016 with a coast-to-coast 71-59 win on Dec. 31 at Oklahoma Baptist.  The RiverHawks led as many as 19 points but held off a late rally by the Lady Bison who cut into the NSU lead to five points at the end of the third quarter.   

Rylie Torrey scored 12 points in the final ten minutes with six coming from the free-throw line to halt the OBU challenge.

All eight players who entered the contest for the RiverHawks had a hand in NSU's scoring effort with Torrey having 18 as a team high.   Mary Jane Buschmann had 13 and a career high four steals, with Kylie Looney chipping in 11 in the win.

Northeastern State was out-rebounded on the floor 39-to-36 by the Lady Bison with Destiny Strange having a career high afternoon with 12; her effort matched a season high for NSU that was last set by Buschmann on Nov. 13, 2016 vs. Northwestern Oklahoma.  Alexis Hill was two boards short of a career mark with eight off the glass.

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Northeastern State (5-7, 1-3 MIAA) at Lindenwood (5-6, 1-3 MIAA)
Jan. 5, 2017 | 5:30 p.m. | St. Charles, Mo.
Live Stats | Live Video | Live Audio | Game Notes

The series with Lindenwood: Northeastern State since 2012 leads the overall series 5-2 with each team splitting the last four games in the series.  The RiverHawks won in their last two appearances at LU holding the Lady Lions two a 52 point average in those two outings.

Last time out for Lindenwood: The Lindenwood women's basketball team fell 61-54 to Missouri-St. Louis on Dec. 31 in non-conference play in Hyland Arena.

Lindenwood out-rebounded the Tritons 37-32, but was outscored in the paint 32-24.  Missouri-St. Louis shot 17-of-28 from the free-throw line while the Lady Lions shot 12-of-15 from the charity stripe.  Sara Ross led the team with 11 points and six rebounds while Gabby Walker and Lindsay Medlen each tallied 10 points and six rebounds.

Scouting Lindenwood: Kallie Bidner leads Lindenwood with 14.2 points per game and she is on top of the MIAA for overall field goal percentage (52.6) and on the offensive glass with four rebounds a game.  The Lady Lions are 37th in the nation in rebounding margin (7.2) but are in the bottom-10 nationally in three-pointers.  Lindenwood averages 2.6 treys per game and are 20.6-percent from the arc.  Heading into Thursday's contest, Lindenwood has dropped their last three in a row with their lone MIAA win coming at home against Missouri Southern.

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Northeastern State at Lincoln (1-10, 0-4 MIAA)
Jan. 7, 2017 | 1:30 p.m. | Jefferson City, Mo.
Live Stats | Live Video | Live Audio | Game Notes

The series with Lincoln: The RiverHawks trail the overall series 3-2 to the Blue Tigers with NSU falling in the last two meetings; Northeastern State has last won at Lincoln on Dec. 5, 2013.  

Last time out for Lincoln: Azaria Nave led three Blue Tigers in double figures with 17 points, but McKendree handed the Lincoln women's basketball team a 78-66 loss on Dec. 30.

Nave also contributed four rebounds, three assists and a block while Hunter Yoakum was next with 15 points, three boards and three assists. Erica Gibbons added 13 points, six rebounds and her 20th block of the season.

Scouting Lincoln: The Blue Tigers will face Central Oklahoma on Thursday prior to hosting the RiverHawks.  Currently, Lincoln is on a seven game skid with three losses coming under five points.  Azaria Nava is a Lincoln player who you will seldom see leave the floor and leads the MIAA in average minutes with nearly 36 played a game.  Nava is eighth in the league in scoring with 16.1 per game, Hunter Yoakum is ninth in the MIAA in scoring with 15.5-points per game.  Lincoln has struggled in rebounding this season had have the fifth worst rebounding margin (-13.5) and they are in the bottom of the MIAA with just over 32 boards per game.