TAHLEQUAH – Northeastern State led from coast-to-coast and stunned Fort Hays State 66-60 on Thursday evening at the NSU Event Center.

Tyler Williams paced the RiverHawks with a career night by having 17 points off the bench on 6-of-8 shooting.  Montre' Williams added 13 and Trent Cantrell provided 11 points, along with four assists. 

NSU's (4-20, 3-13 MIAA) defensive effort paved the way to success on Thursday with 19 turnovers forced, the RiverHawks scored 28 points on turnovers, 18 more than Fort Hays State.  Erick Broadnax matched his career high in blocks with four and he also grabbed a career mark in steals with three.

The win by the RiverHawks along with losses by Missouri Western and Pittsburg State have put NSU into the thick of the race for the final transfer spot into the MIAA Tournament.  As the standings sit on Thursday night, Northeastern State is tied with Missouri Western with matching 3-13 records, and one game ahead of Pittsburg State. 

"I told them before the game tonight, if you are wondering what you are playing for, you are in a three way tie for the last spot in the conference tournament," said head coach Jason Tinsley.  "You still have a chance to get in but you have to take care of your own business and take care of this game tonight."

Northeastern State had a comfortable lead for the better part of the game and with 12:36 left they were up 48-36 on the Tigers.   However, NSU's shooting went cold for the next five minutes and FHSU scored ten straight on the RiverHawks, by the 7:09 mark it was a 48-46 ballgame.  Cantrell snapped NSU out of the drought with a three in front of the NSU bench and minutes later Cameron Martin hit a jumper, then a trey to put them up 58-49 with 2:56 left. 

Fort Hays State mounted up one more run in the closing seconds and pulled in 62-60 with 53 seconds left on back-to-back treys.  In the next possession, NSU missed a jumper to give the Tigers a shot to tie or move ahead but Fort Hays State committed a foul and then a turnover to force them put the RiverHawks at the line. 

Karon Waller hit both shots at the line to put Northeastern State up 64-60 with 30 seconds left.  Fort Hays State quickly went to make an attempted three but missed and in the following possession the RiverHawks threw the ball across the court to turn the ball back over.   With the ball and 14 seconds left on the clock, Montre' Williams came up with a game winning steal near the Fort Hays State post to snap NSU's ten game skid.

"We are just glad to win again, it's been a tough long year," said Tinsley.  "The key to the game was forcing 19 turnovers and converting them into 28 points.  Tyler Williams made some clutch shots for us tonight and he is a good shooter. Like other young kids coming out of high school, he has to learn how do other things that are a little tougher to do at this level, and a little tougher to do in the MIAA."

Northeastern State out-shot FHSU from the field on 45.1-percent (23-51) shooting.  The Tigers who saw a four game winning streak halted shot 38.6-percent (22-57) on their side of the floor.   Fort Hays State did win the rebounding battle 40-to-26 as they will go to 15-9 and 9-7 in the MIAA.

Thursday's win also snapped a three game skid to Fort Hays State that dated back to a close 79-77 win on Feb. 28, 2015 at the NSU Event Center.  Northeastern State will have one more home game this season on Saturday where they will host Nebraska-Kearney at 3:30 p.m.