Game 22: Northeastern State (9-12, 5-9 MIAA) vs. Nebraska-Kearney (18-4, 10-4 MIAA) at 1:30 p.m. | February 10, 2018
Tahlequah, Okla. | NSU Event Center
The Series
Northeastern State after winning the first two meetings with the Lopers have dropped the last seven in a row heading into Saturday's contest. In Tahlequah, the RiverHawks two wins have come at home and they are 2-3 against the Lopers.
The Coaches
Fala Bullock is in her first season as head coach and was named to lead her alma mater on April 1, 2017 to replace Randy Gipson who retired after 18 years. With six years of head coaching experience, Bullock is 107-86 overall and within conference play she is 66-62. She has spent the last four seasons (2013-17) as head coach at NCAA Division II Armstrong State University, where she recorded a career mark of 60-52. In her first season at Armstrong State, she led the Pirates to the NCAA Tournament for the third time in program history, and reached the Sweet 16.
Bullock played for Gipson for two seasons, and was a graduate assistant under Gipson from 2004 to 2006. As student-athlete, Bullock played in 57 games and NSU went 36-19, winning the 2003 Lone Star Conference Tournament, and made the program's first NCAA Tournament berth. As a member of Gipson's coaching staff, NSU reached the Sweet 16 in 2004, and qualified for the NCAA Tournament in 2005 and 2006.
Carrie Highmey (46-34) is in her third season at Nebraska-Kearney and holds a 114-65 career head coaching record between UNK and three seasons at Hastings College. Highmey was the head assistant coach at Hastings for four seasons (2004-08) before holding the same position at MIAA-member Fort Hays State from 2008-12. As an assistant at Hays, Eighmey was part of a program that had just joined the MIAA. The Tigers won 59 games in her time assisting head coach Tony Hobson, including a 20-9 mark during the 2011-12 season. Hofstetter also played and worked for Hobson at Hastings College.
Last Time Out for NSU
Northeastern State faded after putting together a strong opening quarter against Fort Hays State on Thursday evening and fell 71-53 inside the NSU Event Center.
Joi Bertrand led the RiverHawks with both
Cailyn Long and
Lauren Woods scoring nine. The Tigers broke out of a 13-13 tie with NSU three minutes into the second period with an 18-5 run into the half. Northeastern State never could recover to drop their fourth contest in a row. On the glass, Fort Hays grabbed 11 more off the glass with 41; Long led the RiverHawks with five.
Last Time Out for UNK
The Lopers were limited to five points in the final quarter on Thursday evening as the Bronchos ran past the Lopers 67-59 in Edmond to halt a seven game winning streak. UCO trailed for nearly 37 minutes and used a 30-9 run to get past the Lopers down the homestretch.
Coming Up
The RiverHawks' loop resets on Thursday where the RiverHawks will head Fort Hays State for a 5:30 p.m. tip-off.
