TAHLEQUAH, Okla. – Northeastern State cooled off after a hot start and fell 77-54 to #14 Central Missouri on Saturday at the NSU Event Center. 

Mary Jane Buschmann led the RiverHawks with 15 points and she added four boards, Rylie Torrey had her 21st straight game in double-figures with 15 points.

The RiverHawks went head-to-head with the Jennies out of the gates and shot 58.3-percent from the field with four treys.  A 9-2 run by NSU with 3:03 left in the first quarter pulled the RiverHawks ahead 20-16 on Central Missouri.   However, the Jennies were on fire on their side of the floor and matched Northeastern State with 76.9-percent shooting and used an 11-3 run to pull ahead 25-23 after the first period. 

Central Missouri's hot shooting continued in the second period and they made 9-of-14 shots while the RiverHawks cooled with only eight points to trail 50-31 into the locker room.  The Jennies went 70.4-percent from the field in the first half, NSU was led by Torrey who had eight points.

NSU continued to trail by double figures in the second half and the closest they get was on a seven point run between the third and fourth period to cut the gap to 13 (60-47).  The Jennies responded back minutes later with back-to-back treys and a free throw to put NSU back by 20 again. 

Despite the fast start, the RiverHawks shot 35.3-percent (18-51) from the field while Central Missouri went 51.9-percent (27-52) on the other side of the floor.

Central Missouri had a 33-to-27 rebounding edge on the RiverHawks with Buschmann and Destiny Strange both having four boards.  Cailyn Long returned to the floor after a two-game absence six eight points and two assists off the NSU bench. 

The loss sends NSU to 6-15 overall and 2-11 in the MIAA.  Central Missouri was led Megan Skaggs who had 20 points as the Jennies move to 18-3 and 11-2 in league play.

Northeastern State will be on the road for the next week and on Thursday they will travel to Fort Hays State.