TAHLEQUAH -- Cold shooting in the first half and key turnovers were a fatal combination for the RiverHawks in a 68-62 home loss Thursday evening to Pittsburg State. 

Trey Sampson led the RiverHawks in scoring and rebounding with 21 points and 13 rebounds.  The double-double is the third for the junior this season. 

"We've got to get to the point where we understand that games are 40 minutes," said head coach Ja Havens. "I thought we put together a solid second half, but we spotted them (Pitt State) 14 points.  We weren't what we needed to be in the first half."

Turnovers were the theme of the first half where the RiverHawks committed 11, and add on a cool shooting half spelled a bad combination through the first 20 minutes of play where they trailed 36-22.  Most of the damage was done after Pitt State scored 11 unanswered to break a 12-12 tie at the midway mark.  Northeastern State left for the locker room shooting 8 for 24 on the floor. 

In the second half, the RiverHawks whittled down a 14 point deficit down to six by the midway point.  Trailing 49-43 with 8:37 to go and with some momentum, NSU picked up a steal from Dillon Bailey, and in the ensuing possession, they would turn the ball back over to Pitt State.  The Gorillas respond with five answered points. 

NSU would rally late in the final minute and get back within two possessions, but it was too little too late.

Pitt State moves to 7-7 (7-7 MIAA) with the win over the RiverHawks; the Gorillas were led by Zach Burch, who had 17 points.

Troy Locke was NSU's only other player in double-digits with 12 points. 

At the end of the night, the RiverHawks shot the ball better than Pitt State going 43.8-percent on the floor; the Gorillas were 41.5-percent.

Northeastern State committed 16 turnovers and was limited to two offensive boards.  Between points off turnovers and second-chance points, the Gorillas out-scored NSU 35-to-18. 

The loss is the fifth consecutive for Northeastern State as they fall to 2-11 overall (2-11 MIAA)

The RiverHawks remain at home to host Missouri Southern on Saturday at 3:30 p.m.  In the first meeting between the two, NSU won a 90-89 thriller over the Lions in Joplin.  Missouri Southern will enter the contest holding a 7-6 (7-6 MIAA) record following a 96-87 win at Rogers State on Thursday. 

NOTABLES -- Rashad Perkins made his return to the floor after missing the last seven games … Brad Davis saw a streak of 10+ point games come to a halt at ten; the senior was limited to four points but dished out ten assists, which were his career-high … Braxton Williams (Dec. 19, 2015, vs. Washburn) was the last NSU player to have ten assists in a game  … Locke pushed his streak of 10+ games to nine … the 13 rebounds were a career-high for Sampson … in Tahlequah, NSU is now 14-18 against Pitt State.