TAHLEQUAH – Northeastern State could not recover from a slow start to the second half and fell 66-53 to Lindenwood on Thursday evening inside the NSU Event Center.  Lauryn Blevins came up with 12 points to the pace the RiverHawks (6-6, 2-3 MIAA) who led the Lions (10-4, 2-3 MIAA) for most of the first half.
 
After trailing by point following the first period, the RiverHawks launched a 10-0 run on the Lions and led 23-14 following a Bailee Eldred jumper with 6:06 remaining.  Despite the run by the RiverHawks, Lindenwood controlled the final four minutes forcing four NSU turnovers and went on a 13-6 run to only trail by a pair (29-27) into the locker room.
 
The Lions came out in the second half with eight unanswered points and Northeastern State trailed the rest of the contest.
 
Cailyn Long was in double-figures with 11 points off the bench for the RiverHawks who were out-rebounded by the Lions 50-to-37.  Northeastern State had a slight shooting edge at 34.4-percent (21-61) but were 3-for-15 at the arc; Lindenwood was 32.8-percent (20-61) on their side of the court.
 
NSU HEAD COACH FALA BULLOCK ON THE SECOND HALF
"We knew they (Lindenwood) were going to come out and come at us. We lost that edge that we had and the three we gave up at the end of the half helped with that and set them off."

INSIDE THE NUMBERS
5 - Mid-season addition Lauren Woods had five points for the RiverHawks in her second contest.
9 - NSU had a season high nine blocks against the Lions and surpassed their high-water mark by one.
16 -The number of second chance points Lindenwood had on Thursday; the RiverHawks would have seven.
33 - Northeastern State's bench outscored the Lions 33-to-16.
 
UP NEXT
Northeastern State will host Lincoln on Saturday, Jan. 6 in MIAA play at 1:30 p.m.