TAHLEQUAH -- Emeka Obukwelu turned in a 20-20 performance as Northeastern State closed out its non-conference slate with an 82-61 win Saturday over Ozarks (Ark.).

Saturday's win is the fourth consecutive and sends the RiverHawks to 5-1 overall matching their win total from the previous season. 

Obukwelu pulled down 20 rebounds, the highest total for an NSU player since 2013, and had a game-high 22 points.  

Edra Luster shot 5-for-6 with a season-high 13 points, and Christian Cook scored 14.

Rashad Perkins paced the NSU bench with 11 points, eight rebounds, and had two assists and two blocks. Tylor Arnold had five of NSU's 20 assists on the night, along with seven rebounds. 

Obukwelu paced the RiverHawks early and already had a double-double with 13 points and 12 rebounds at the intermission.  The Eagles battled from an early double-digit deficit to get within six (19-13) with eight minutes left in the half.  NSU responded with a pair of treys and a 9-3 run to pull back out by double-digits, where they would take a 35-22 advantage into the locker room.  

Following an Ozarks bucket to open the second half, NSU used a run of 11 unanswered points to pull ahead 46-24 by the 16-minute mark.  The RiverHawks maintained a double-figure lead the rest of the night.   Cook had 12, and Luster put in ten points in the final 20 minutes. 

Northeastern State shot 49.2-percent (30-61) and out-rebounded Ozarks 41-to-34. All eight players who saw the floor had a hand in NSU's scoring effort.

Saturday's contests counted as an exhibition for the Eagles, and two players led them with ten points. 

The RiverHawks open MIAA play Thursday night at Northwest Missouri State.