Game #8
Northeastern State (2-5 MIAA) vs. Central Oklahoma (3-3 MIAA)
Thursday, January 7 at 5:30 p.m. | Tahlequah, Okla. - NSU Event Center
TAHLEQUAH, Okla. -- Northeastern State women's basketball makes its return to the NSU Event Center hosting long-time rival Central Oklahoma Thursday at 5:30 p.m.
Opening tip
• Both of the RiverHawks' wins have come at home and this rivalry matchup will be the first women's game played in the NSU Event Center in 40 days. What would have been the Jan. 2 contest versus Washburn was postponed until Feb. 9 for the health and safety of all student-athletes.
• In the rivalry series, NSU leads 36-29.
• Northeastern State won its first two games but is amidst a four-game losing streak. It looks to begin the calendar year of 2021 with a victory.
• Both teams are led in scoring by forwards, but two years in age separate Collins (NSU) and Johnson (UCO).
• NSU allows opponents to shoot 48.9 percent while UCO allows 37.7 percent from the floor.
• Thus far in 2020-21, both teams have struggled to consistently knock down 3-point shots.
• The RiverHawks pull down 31.7 rebounds to the Bronchos 40.0 per game.
• Northeastern State ranks second in the MIAA with a +2.86 turnover margin; UCO has a -1.83 margin.
• Neither team has a standout shot blocker and as a result both rank at the bottom of the conference.
• Northeastern State is operating at 25 percent fan capacity due to COVID-19 precautions.
• Thursday's game is one of five women's contests taking place around the MIAA.
NSU individual player notes are on page one of the game notes.
The series with Central Oklahoma
• Northeastern State has dropped the last eight games in the series. Before UCOs run, NSU led the series 36-21.
• The RiverHawks last won on Feb. 6, 2016. They last won in Edmond on that date as well. The last NSU win in Tahlequah was Dec. 19, 2015.
• The teams have long been in-state rivals with the first meeting on Feb. 25, 1978.
• As a head coach at NSU,
Fala Bullock is 0-6 vs. the Bronchos. As a player, the team was 3-1.
Bronchos notes
• Senior forward Kelsey Johnson leads UCO with 22.7 points and 10.2 rebounds per game. She's the only player in the MIAA averaging a double-double and is second in the league in both categories. In the last meeting with the RiverHawks, she was held to 14 points and five rebounds.
• The Bronchos began the season beating Missouri Southern and Pitt State, but fell in three straight before knocking off Newman Dec. 19.
• Central Oklahoma is second in rebounding pulling down 40.0 per contest.
• UCO shoots just 24.5 from beyond the arc and 38.4 from the field; both rank towards the bottom of the league.
• There are three players from the Tulsa area on the roster.
Looking back
• The RiverHawks let a five-point halftime lead slip away falling at Nebraska-Kearney 68-56. They led by 11 at one point.
• After halftime the Lopers held NSU to 25.0 percent shooting while converting on 50.0 percent of their own attempts.
• NSU was led by
Zaria Collins offensively in the first half as she scored 14 points.
Cenia Hayes finished with 16 points while
Shae Sanchez pulled down six rebounds for the game.
• The RiverHawks were outrebounded by 11 and allowed UNK 26 attempts at the charity stripe.
Milestone watch
•
Morgan Lee is three points from 200 for her career.
Glancing ahead
• The RiverHawks will host Newman at 1:30 p.m. Saturday at the Event Center.
• NSU is 2-1 all-time versus the Jets. Heading into Thursday's games both teams have 2-5 records in 2020-21.
