TOPEKA, Kan. – Northeastern State closed out the regular season with a 69-50 loss at Washburn but qualified for the MIAA Tournament after a one-season absence. 

The RiverHawks will be the 12-seed in the tournament but have a favorable match up on Monday where they will travel to Fort Hays State.   In the regular season series, NSU split the home-and-home, winning 66-60 in Tahlequah, and falling in a close 73-66 contest in Hays, Kan.

Monday's winner will advance to the second-round which will be inside the Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Mo. on March 2 at 8:30 p.m. to face Missouri Southern who has a first round bye.   The men's basketball game on Monday will be aired live on the radio on Billy Country 96.3 FM and on KTLQ-AM 1350 with Scott Pettus on the call.  

In Topeka, the RiverHawks trailed from coast-to-coast, on a night Washburn was honoring long time head coach Bob Chipman who was entering his final regular season game for the Ichabods.  Prior to Saturday's game, Chipman had the floor of Lee Arena named after him, and with the win over NSU it moved Chipman past Eddie Sutton with 807 career victories.

The RiverHawks shot 25.8-percent (15-57) from the field with Karon Waller scoring 11 points, and Juvon Turner added ten.   Washburn was 44.3-percent (27-61) on their side of the floor with three players in double figures.

In the rebounding battle, Washburn (19-9, 12-8 MIAA) more than doubled the RiverHawks' total with 51.  Braxton Williams had six of NSU's 25 board in the loss.

Northeastern State will enter the MIAA Tournament with a 5-22 overall record, and they concluded league play at 4-15.   This will be NSU's 12th postseason appearance as a NCAA institution and fourth in five seasons of MIAA membership.