TAHLEQUAH -- Northeastern State heads to Bison Hill in Shawnee to face Oklahoma Baptist for their final game before Thanksgiving this Saturday afternoon for a 2 p.m. tip.
The RiverHawks enter the contest with OBU on a two-game winning streak and are coming off a mid-week 89-33 thumping of Bacone.
Maleeah Langstaff is averaging a double-double in her first three games at Northeastern State.
The Setup
- Northeastern State is seeking its third consecutive win and their best start since the 2017-18 season.
- Saturday is the second and final Great American Conference school that Northeastern State will see this season.
- In road openers, the RiverHawks are 5-5 in the last ten years.
Storylines
- Newcomer Maleeah Langstaff has recorded a double-double in the last two games and is tied for fourth among MIAA players with 10.7 rebounds per game.
- Northeastern State has had a 20 point scorer twice this season. Maegan Lee had a career-high 21 point game in their season opener against UMary, and Jessica Barrow scored 20 in a 73-56 win over Northwestern Okla.
- Zaria Collins, a returning All-MIAA selection, leads NSU with 14.5 points per game and has scored 10+ points in the last six games.
- Jessica Barrow, a redshirt from last season at NSU, is second on the NSU roster in scoring through three games averaging 14 points, leading the team with seven made three-pointers.
- Lee and Lay: The RiverHawks have twin-sisters and three-year letterwinners Maegan Lee and Morgan Lee, plus a true-freshman Courtney Lee from Sallisaw on their roster this season. Additionally, they have Coffeyville CC transfer Kailyn Lay as a newcomer. Both Lee sisters have started all three games this season, with Maegan averaging 12.7 points so far with a pair of 10+ scoring games.
- Morgan Lee leads NSU's returning group in experience with 79 contests entered and making 49 starts. Against Bacone, Lee had seven steals which was a career-high and 11 points.
- Northeastern State pulled down 62 rebounds against Bacone, the highest total for NSU since 2008 and the most among MIAA teams this season.
- Height will be a difference for NSU's freshman group, with all four checking in at 5-11 or taller. Ashton Hackler leads the NSU freshman core with 22.7 minutes and 8.0 points per game.
- Fala Suiaunoa opens her fifth season at the helm of the Northeastern State women's basketball program.
- The RiverHawks are entering their tenth season as members of the MIAA and 25th season as an NCAA Division II program.
- In October, Northeastern State was picked to finish in 11th place in both the MIAA Coaches and Media Polls.
About Oklahoma Baptist
- The Bison come into Saturday's game on a four-game skid and have opened the 2021-22 season 0-2.
- Lost to MIAA foes Pittsburg State (62-53) and Washburn (62-50) in overtime.
- Led by head coach Bo Overton who is in his second season at OBU after a five-year tenure at Oklahoma City University where he had a 145-24 record. He was named NAIA coach of the year in 2017 and 2020.
- OCU transfer Mallory Lockhart leads the Bison in scoring this season with 13.5 points per outing. Lockhart was the OCU record-holder for single-season three-pointers with 113.
- Picked to finish in ninth place in the GAC.
- Returns their top-three scorers from the previous season.
Last Time They Met
Northeastern State 68, Oklahoma Baptist 74 (OT) | Nov. 16, 2019 | Tahlequah, Okla.
- The Bison shot 83.3-percent in overtime in a game that saw 11 lead changes to beat the RiverHawks.
- Maegan Lee is NSU's leading returning scorer and had ten points.
- Oklahoma Baptist out-scored NSU 23-to-14 in points off turnovers, the first quarter was a 13-4 OBU advantage.
Series Notes
- Northeastern State trails the overall series 14-13
- First meeting came in the 1978-79 season which was OBU's second season of women's basketball.
- Due to membership changes, the two teams did not play each other for 20 years (1996-2016).
- Northeastern State's last win in Shawnee was on New Year's Eve in 2016 and was the final non-conference win for retired head coach Randy Gipson.
