Game #19
Northeastern State (12-6, 5-4 MIAA) vs. Lincoln (7-9, 4-3 MIAA)
Thursday, Jan. 23 at 7:30 p.m. | NSU Event Center

Game #20
vs. Central Missouri (7-9, 2-5 MIAA)
Saturday, Jan. 25 at 3:30 p.m. | NSU Event Center

Game Coverage	goriverhawksgo.com/coverage.aspx
NSU Game Notes	Game Notes
Live Audio	NSU Digital Network & Billy Country 96.3
Live Video	The MIAA Network

Opening Tip 

• Second to last home weeks of the year for NSU with six of their final eight games being on the road.
• Including his sophomore season at Ranger JC, Caleb Smith has started in 77 straight games.  Heading into this week's games, the senior needs 218 points to reach 1,000 at Northeastern State.
• Troy Locke has averaged 13.5 points in the last two games and led the NSU bench in scoring in five of the previous six contests.
• Josh Ihek is second in the MIAA with 26 blocks, 16 of which in the last six games, also the same time frame he joined the NSU starting lineup. 
• Kendrick Thompson is tenth in the MIAA in scoring with 16.4 points a game.
• NSU's starting lineup has only changed once this season, with four players starting in all games. 
• The RiverHawks are 23rd nationally and second in the MIAA with just 11.3 turnovers a game.
• Northeastern State leads the MIAA and is seventh nationally in field-goal percentage defense (39.3).

The Series with Lincoln

• Thursday's game will be the 12th between the two programs.
• In Tahlequah, the series is even at 2-2.  The last NSU home win was on Jan. 30, 2016 (93-81). 
• The RiverHawks have not won consecutive home contests against the Blue Tigers. 
• A Dec. 5, 2013 meeting in Jefferson City, was the last time NSU beat Lincoln back-to-back times.
• Head Coach Mark Downey is 2-2 against the Blue Tigers.

About the Blue Tigers

• Entire roster has transferred to Lincoln.
• Junior Marcus Cohen played for UCO head coach Bob Hoffman last season at Mercer.
• Lincoln is 3-7 this season away from Jason Gym. 
• The Blue Tigers are last in the nation in free-throw percentage (57.0).
• Ranked last in the MIAA in scoring margin (-2.6).
• Fifth in the MIAA with 10.4 offensive boards a game
• Joe Davis has led the Blue Tigers in scoring the last two games with 17 ppg.  He played a season-high 26 minutes and shot 10-for-13 with 20-points in their 85-84 win over Pitt State.  Davis has seen the floor in only nine games this season and averaged 9.6 minutes. 
• L'Kielynn Taylor is third in the MIAA in total rebounds and averages 7.7 a game.

The Series with Central Missouri

• The RiverHawks are 2-2 at home against the Mules but have not won back-to-back meetings with UCM inside the Event Center.
• Central Missouri is 3-0 at home against the RiverHawks.
• In one postseason meeting with UCM, the RiverHawks bested the Mules 84-82 in the MIAA Quarterfinals. 
• Head Coach Mark Downey is 1-1 all-time against Central Missouri.

About the Mules

• The Mules will be playing Rogers State prior to facing NSU on Saturday. 
• Two MIAA wins have come against the top-two teams in the league standings (Missouri Southern and Northwest Missouri).
• Winless in four road contests this season.
• UCM head coach Doug Karleskint served as an assistant to NSU head coach Mark Downey at Arkansas Tech.  
• Karleskint is 5-2 against NSU but 2-2 in Tahlequah. 
• Central Missouri is 1-8 this season when tied or trailing with 5:00 remaining.
• Mules are ranked 11th nationally in 3-point defense (29.9-percent).
• Third in the MIAA with 7.6 steals per game.
• Gaven Pinkley leads the Mules in scoring with 14.4 points a game.

Looking Back

• NSU won back-to-back road games last week.  On Thursday, they beat rivals UCO for the third consecutive time.  The RiverHawks then traveled to Newman for the first time since 2011 and picked up their first win in Wichita.
• The RiverHawks led for over 60 minutes and trailed for just over 12 minutes to their foes.
• In both games, NSU led by double-digits.