The headline: Northeastern State will have their final two regular season home games in the back-half of a home-and-home series with Fort Hays State and Nebraska-Kearney.  The RiverHawks are third the MIAA in forced turnovers and with 15.48 per game and fourth in blocks with 3.3 per game. Against schools in the MIAA, Northeastern State leads the field at the free-throw line by making 75.5-percent of their shots. Montre' Williams paces NSU with 13.1 points per game and in his third season has scored 748 points.
 

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Northeastern State (3-20, 2-13 MIAA) vs. Fort Hays State (15-8, 9-6 MIAA)
Feb. 16, 2017 | 7:30 p.m. | NSU Event Center
Live Stats | Live Video | Live Audio | Game Notes

The series with Fort Hays State: Thursday's meeting is the 11th between the Tigers and RiverHawks with NSU trailing in the series 6-4. 

NSU's Last time out against Fort Hays State: The RiverHawks had four in double-figures but fell in a close 73-66 battle at Fort Hays State on Thursday night. 

Tanner Mouse paced NSU with 17 points which was one short tying a career mark for the sophomore, Karon Waller scored 14 points off the bench in the second half, Juvon Turner added 12, and Montre' Williams scored ten.

Fort Hays State led by 13-points in the second half before the RiverHawks went on a 13-4 run to make it a 63-59 ballgame after a Turner free-throw with 3:48 left.  Northeastern State closed to get within three of the Tigers on three occasions but couldn't get down another trey to tie or a layup get within one of the Tigers.  Free-throws by FHSU iced the game and expanded the lead to the final buzzer.

Despite the hot shooting in the first half, both teams leveled off in the final 20 minutes.  Northeastern State left the floor going 48-percent (24-50) from the field and Fort Hays shot 53.1-percent (26-49).

An off night at the line didn't do the RiverHawks any favors with the team going 13-for-22 or 59.1-percent; up to Thursday, NSU in MIAA play led the field with a 78.6-percentage.   In rebounding, NSU trailed 31-to-23 to the Tigers with Mouse leading the RiverHawks with four.

Scouting Fort Hays State: The Tigers are centered around Rob Davis and with 22.7 points per game he is 15th highest nationally in average scoring and is makes 49.3-percent of his three-point attempts which is sixth best nationally.  At home this season FHSU is 6-4 with their last appearance in Hays being a 70-54 loss to Washburn.  On the defense, the Tigers hold teams to a 42.0 field goal percentage which is fourth lowest in the MIAA.  At the arc, FHSU is 17th nationally with a 40.8-percentage.
 

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Northeastern State vs. Neb.-Kearney (17-7, 10-5 MIAA)
Feb. 18, 2017 | 3:30 p.m. | NSU Event Center
Live Stats | Live Video | Live Audio | Game Notes

The series with Neb.-Kearney: Saturday's meeting is the 11th between the Lopers and RiverHawks with NSU trailing in the series 8-2.  The RiverHawks have dropped their last six in a row to UNK.

NSU's last time out against Neb.-Kearney:  A second-half RiverHawks rally came up short on the road at Nebraska-Kearney, 81-73, on Saturday.  

Northeastern State dug themselves out of a 11-point deficit with a 12-1 run to tie the game at 54-each on a Javon Wallace layup with 8:12 left.   However, NSU momentum was cut short after trading buckets, UNK dropped 12 straight on the RiverHawks to send them to 3-20 this season and 2-12 in MIAA play.

All 11 players who entered the game for NSU scored in the contest with Karon Waller leading the RiverHawks off the bench with 15 points, matching his season high in a NSU uniform.  Braxton Williams was NSU's other player in double-figures with ten.  Montre' Williams scored nine and dished out seven assists. 

The RiverHawks out-shot a team for the fourth time this season going 48.2-percent (27-56) from the field.  UNK was 42.6-percent (23-54) on their side of the floor but the difference maker was the Lopers ability to go to the line.  Nebraska-Kearney shot 33 free-throws which was one-short of a season high for a NSU opponent.   26 of the Lopers 81 points came from the free-throw line with the RiverHawks going to the line 16 times.

Rebounds were even for both teams at 33 with Erick Broadnax grabbing six.

Scouting Neb.-Kearney: The Lopers will be at Central Oklahoma on Thursday before facing NSU on Saturday.  At road this season, the Lopers are 3-4 and lost in overtime 87-86 at Emporia State the last time UNK was on a visiting floor.  With 485 made free-throw attempts, UNK has figured out ways to get to the line with their total landing them fifth nationally.  Trey Lansman leads the UNK offense with 19.2 points a game which is sixth in the MIAA, he also leads the Lopers in boards with 7.9 rebounds per game.  On defense, UNK allows 75.4 points each outing which is 13th in the MIAA and teams are shooting 40.2-percent at the arc which is eighth worst in the nation.