Game #7
Northeastern State (2-4) at UA-Fort Smith (1-6)
Wednesday, Nov. 28, 2018 at 5:30 p.m. | Fort Smith, Ark. | Stubblefield Center
Opening Tip
- Fifth straight game for the RiverHawks away from the NSU Event Center.
- Lone contest this season in the state of Arkansas for the RiverHawks.
- Cailyn Long paces NSU in scoring with 12 points a game.
- Cenia Hayes and Long both lead the RiverHawks at the arc with 14 made three-pointers. Hayes is second on the NSU roster in scoring with 10.7 points a game.
- Joi Bertrand, Cenia Hayes, and Cailyn Long have started in all seven contests.
- Joi Bertrand is second in the MIAA in blocks with 16.
RiverHawks vs. Lady Lions Series
- First visit to Fort Smith since the 2014-15 season for the RiverHawks.
- Northeastern State won 72-67 in that lone meeting at UAFS.
- Destiny Strange is the only player on the NSU roster see action in Fort Smith.
- The Lady Lions have won the last two meetings, both of which there in Tahlequah.
- Sixth overall meeting between the two programs.
- First meeting with UAFS for head coach Fala Bullock.
About the Lady Lions
- Lone win came in the only home game of the season on Nov. 20 vs. Ouachita Baptist, 74-49.
- First of a four game homestand for the Lady Lions.
- Was picked to finish third in the Heartland Conference and received one first place vote in the preseason coaches poll.
- Reached the Heartland Conference Tournament Championship last season and qualified for the NCAA National Tournament.
- Led in scoring by Mariah Green who averages 13.4 points a game.
- Winless in three contests against teams in the MIAA.
- Guided by first year head coach Tari Cummings who played at UAFS two seasons in the late 1990s.
Big Runs
Top runs of ten or more consecutive for the RiverHawks
14-0 - 3:16 at Azusa Pacific (11/24/18)
10-0 - 4:34 at Oklahoma Baptist (11/19/18)*
10-0 - 3:59 at Rogers State (11/14/18)
* - start of game
Looking Back
- Split two games in California falling 74-62 to Biola and beating #21/RV Azusa Pacific, 63-57.
- First win over a ranked program since Jan. 22, 2014 where they beat #2-ranked Emporia State, 59-44.
- NSU won despite going 1-for-12 in the fourth quarter against Azusa Pacific.
- Maddie Morrow had a team high seven rebounds in her first NSU start on Saturday against APU.
- Northeastern State hit a season high nine three pointers.
Closing on 1,000
Cailyn Long is 43 points away from joining Northeastern State's 1,000 point club. The Sparta, Mo. is a two-time All-MIAA selection and has averaged 11.4 points a game in her four-year career at NSU.
- Has hit double-digit scoring in the last three contests.
- Had her eighth career 20+ point game on Saturday against Northwestern Oklahoma.
- Started and had four points and four rebounds in the exhibition at Oklahoma State.
- Played 20 minutes at Oklahoma and had seven points.
Crashing the Boards
Bailee Eldred paced the RiverHawks with 138 rebounds last season and had four double-double contests. In her collegiate career between NSU and Murray State, Eldred has 447 rebounds and 780 points. In the NSU record book, only eight players have surpassed 500 career rebounds.
- Pulled down a season high nine rebounds at Rogers State.
- When 9-9 at the free-throw line with a career high 21 points vs. Northwestern Oklahoma.
- Eldred led Northeastern State with 11 points at OSU and at Oklahoma.
Block the Ball
Joi Bertrand returns to NSU for her senior season after finishing third in the MIAA in blocks per game at 1.5. Bertrand had 49 blocks which was fifth most in a season in program history. In four combined playing seasons, she has 126 blocks which would be second most all-time in the RiverHawks' record book.
- Has recorded a block in the last seven games.
- Matched a career high of four blocks in the season opener against East Central.
- Scored eight points and led NSU with seven rebounds at Oklahoma.
