Game 3: Northeastern State (1-1) vs. Rogers State (2-0) at 5:30 p.m. | November 15, 2017
Tahlequah, Okla. | NSU Event Center
The Series
The RiverHawks hold a 2-1 edge in the overall series with Rogers State. Despite the slight series edge, the Hillcats own the lone meeting in Tahlequah which was a 58-54 win in 2015.
The Coaches
Fala Bullock is in her first season as head coach and was named to lead her alma mater on April 1, 2017 to replace Randy Gipson who retired after 18 years. With six years of head coaching experience, Bullock is 99-75 overall and within conference play she is 61-53. She has spent the last four seasons (2013-17) as head coach at NCAA Division II Armstrong State University, where she recorded a career mark of 60-52. In her first season at Armstrong State, she led the Pirates to the NCAA Tournament for the third time in program history, and reached the Sweet 16.
Bullock is no stranger to the NSU program, playing for Gipson for two seasons, and was a graduate assistant under Gipson from 2004 to 2006. As student-athlete, Bullock played in 57 games and NSU went 36-19, winning the 2003 Lone Star Conference Tournament, and made the program's first NCAA Tournament berth. As a member of Gipson's coaching staff, NSU reached the Sweet 16 in 2004, and qualified for the NCAA Tournament in 2005 and 2006.
Billy Cope (32-50) is in his fourth season as head coach at Rogers State after serving as an assistant coach for the prior five seasons. Cope became the third head coach in the program history and compiled a 99-60 record during his tenure as an assistant. The Cats reached the NAIA National Tournament three out of his four seasons on the Hill as NAIA members, including a run to the 2011-12 quarterfinals. In their first year of postseason eligibility following the completion of the NCAA Division II membership process, Cope's Hillcats earned a bid to the Heartland Conference Tournament as the seven seed.
Big Debuts
Lauryn Blevins sank eight straight shots on Friday in their 82-75 win over Northwestern Oklahoma and was a rebound short of a double-double in her first contest with 28 points off the bench. The redshirt-freshman impressed on the defensive side of the ball with five steals and three blocks. NSU has not had a player with five steals since Kate Bellamy had that same number on Feb. 12, 2015 at Emporia State.
Cenia Hayes a true freshman, was the back-half of the NSU duo with 21 points against the Rangers. In the final ten minutes she knocked down three shots from downtown, with 11 points to rally past Northwestern Oklahoma who led as many as ten points in the third period.
Go Long
NSU junior
Cailyn Long is a returning All-MIAA performer for the RiverHawks after battling from a late season injury to average 13.7 points in 24 games. She missed three contests last season and came back late to grab a career high 29 points in the final contest of the season. In two seasons, Long has 624 career points, and has sank 95 three-pointers.
NSU Newcomers
The RiverHawks have six newcomers who will hit the floor this season with transfers
Joi Bertrand (Cal State Dominguez Hills / Cypress College),
Tree Brooks (Collin College),
Bailee Eldred (Murray State), and
Morgan Hellyer (Adelphi) , joining freshman
Cailey Cunningham (Fort Gibson HS), and
Cenia Hayes (Sequoya HS).
At the Line
The 2016-17 Northeastern State squad broke a program record for the best free-throw percentage at .766, and besting a program mark that has been around since the 1991 season (.757).
A NSU win would…
- First home win for head coach Fala Bullock.
- Snap a seven game home skid for the RiverHawks.
- Move Northeastern State above .500.
A RSU win would…
- Even the overall series with the RiverHawks to 2-2.
- Keep Rogers State undefeated with a 3-0 record.
- Remain undefeated at the NSU Event Center.
Up next
Northeastern State are off for a week and will host Southern Arkansas on Nov. 22 at for a rare weekday afternoon contest.
