TAHLEQUAH – Thursday turned out to be a tale of two halves for Northeastern State who dropped its fifth game in a row, 82-75, to Nebraska-Kearney inside the NSU Event Center. 

Caleb Smith paced both teams on the floor with 24 points with six made three-pointers.  Josh Ihek added 11 and Bradley George scored ten. 

The loss to the Lopers drops NSU to 12-13 this season and 6-10 in the MIAA.  With three regular-season games remaining, the RiverHawks are in a five-way tie for eighth place.  

Northeastern State opened the contest with a whole head steam scoring 12 straight on the Lopers.  The momentum carried through the majority of the game with the RiverHawks leading through the first 34 minutes. 

Nebraska-Kearney (10-15, 5-11 MIAA) who shot 35.7-percent in the first half, flipped the switch in the second half making 19-of-26 to reel the RiverHawks in.  Most of their damage in the final seven minutes was done at the arc where they dropped five treys on NSU.  

The Lopers took their first and only lead of the game with 4:15 left and never looked back.  

Northeastern State shot a steady 49.2-percent (30-61) from the field against a Loper squad that had their best shooting night since the second week of the season going 53.7-percent (29-54).   UNK would also drop a season-high 14 three-pointers with their bench outscoring the RiverHawks 41-to-14.

COMING UP 
Northeastern State will host Fort Hays State on Saturday for Senior Day.  Tip-off will be at 3:30 p.m. with the program's senior class being honored prior to the contest. 

TIP-INS 
12th game of the season that NSU has had a 10-0 run on a team … Lopers out-rebounded the RiverHawks by two with 31 … only the fifth game this season NSU has been out-rebounded … Ihek made his first start of the season … first change to the NSU starting five in 14 games.