TAHLEQUAH – Northeastern State surrendered an 11-point second half lead and dropped its third contest in a row in heartbreak fashion, 71-70, to Missouri Western inside the NSU Event Center on Saturday evening.   

The loss drops the RiverHawks below .500 for the first time this season and they are now 6-7 overall; in MIAA play they are winless in their first four games.

Seven three-pointers in the second half by the Griffons helped turn the tide of the game.  Missouri Western trailed from the starting horn and never took its first lead until the final nine minutes. 

Northeastern State did not help their cause in the stretch run at the free-throw line and was 12-for-19 in the second half.  In the final 42 seconds, they missed one that would have extended NSU's lead to two, and the second free throw with 0.3 left on the clock that would have forced overtime.

The RiverHawks led for over 30 minutes with the lead exchanging hands eight times in the final nine minutes.

Tanner Mouse paced the RiverHawks with 18 points and Caleb Smith had 15.  Trent Cantrell and Bradley George both added ten each.  Cantrell was two rebounds off from a double-double with eight. 

Aaron Givens matched his season high mark with 12 rebounds and had a career best three blocks.

Northeastern State controlled the glass by ten with 43 team rebounds and out-shot the Griffons with a 45.3 shooting percentage. 

The Griffons' Tyus Millhollin had a game high 22 points and they will go to 8-7 overall and 2-2 in MIAA play.

TIP-INS
Ninth game this season that Northeastern State has out-rebounded at team … Josh Ihek went 3-for-4 with eight points off the bench … fourth game of the season with double-digit rebounds for Givens to bring his season average to 7.1 … snapped a three game home winning streak for NSU over the Griffons.
 
COMING UP
Northeastern State will be on the road for the next two contests and will visit Fort Hays State on Thursday for a 7:30 p.m. tip.