TAHLEQUAH – Bailee Eldred and Cailyn Long both had 20-point evenings but a late rally by Northwestern Oklahoma handed the RiverHawks a 76-71 loss on Saturday inside the NSU Event Center.
 
The loss sends Northeastern State to 0-2 to start the season, while the Lady Rangers split the weekend in Tahlequah going 1-1.
 
Eldred came up with a career high 21 points and was perfect at the free-throw line in nine chances while Long had 22 points with 20 of those in the first half.
 
A 19-4 run by the Lady Rangers down the homestretch evaporated a 62-52 advantage the RiverHawks had with six minutes left in the contest.  
 
The Lady Rangers had three in double-digits with Kalea King having 20 as a team high.
 
GAME NOTES
- Destiny Strange paced Northeastern State with eight rebounds.  The Lady Rangers would have a 43-to-40 edge on the glass.
- Cenia Hayes hit double-digits with ten points.  She also added five rebounds and a career high four steals.
- The RiverHawks led for over 30 minutes and last held an advantage with 1:58 remaining in the contest.
 
DOWN TO DOUBLE DIGITS
With 29 points in the opening two games of the season, Long now needs only 86 more to be seventh member of the NSU women's basketball 1,000-point club.
 
COMING UP
The RiverHawks will make a short trip to Claremore on Wednesday evening to face Rogers State (1-1) at 5:30 p.m.