Game 6: Northeastern State (3-2) at Northwest Missouri State (1-5) at 5:30 p.m. | November 30, 2017
Maryville, Mo. | Bearcat Arena
The Matchup
The RiverHawks have had the Bearcats' number in their ten matchups, holding onto an 8-2 record, and winning the last five meetings. At Bearcat Arena, Northeastern State is 3-2 overall, and has won its last two contests on the road. The two wins for Northwest were within two possessions, and one was an overtime victory.
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 101-76 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 played 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.
Buck Scheel (13-38) was named the eighth head coach in Northwest history on March 22, 2016. He served as the team's interim head coach for the final 18 games of the 2015-16 season. Prior to arriving at Northwest, Scheel worked three seasons as the top assistant at State Fair Community College (SFCC) in Sedalia.
Conference Openers
In their previous five MIAA openers, Northeastern State is 3-2, and picked up wins in the first three years of league membership. In the RiverHawks' last ten league openers, (combining MIAA and Lone Star Conference membership) Northeastern State is 6-4.
Downtown
After five games this season, the RiverHawks lead the MIAA with 8.8 three-pointers per game, and they are third at the arc with a 36.7shooting percentage.
Cailyn Long is leads the MIAA at the arc with 51.9-percent of her shots coming down, and averages 2.8 a game.
Go Long
NSU junior
Cailyn Long has averaged 21.5 points off of the bench in the last two contests while hitting 11 three-pointers. Long a returning All-MIAA performer for the RiverHawks, has shot 13-for-25 from the field and averaged 17 minutes a game last week. In just over two seasons, Long has 662 career points, and has sank 109 three-pointers.
The Comebacks
The RiverHawks already have a pair of double-digit comeback wins this season through the first five games. Northeastern State trailed Northwestern Oklahoma by ten points midway through the third quarter and won their season opener 82-75. Most recently on Wednesday, Northeastern State trailed Southern Arkansas by 13 with 6:03 left in the third quarter and won 86-76.
Coast to Coast
Seventeen unanswered points to start Nov. 15 contest at home against Rogers State gave the RiverHawks their first coast-to-coast win (79-66) over an opponent since Dec. 31, 2016 at Oklahoma Baptist. The RiverHawks spread the wealth with four players in double figures and were led by
Destiny Strange who had a career night with 19 points.
Miranda Griffin and Ceina Hayes both had 14 points, with
Lauryn Blevins adding 13 off the bench.
A NSU Win Would...
- End a 14 game MIAA skid that dates back to Jan. 5, 2017 at Lindenwood (71-64)
- Snap a skid of nine straight road losses.
- Six straight wins over Northwest.
A NWMSU Win Would...
- Snap a five game skid against the RiverHawks.
- Halt a three game skid this season.
- Be their third home win against the RiverHawks in six meetings at Bearcat Arena.
Up Next
Northeastern State will head to Missouri Western on Saturday for a 2 p.m. tip-off.
