Northeastern State vs Fort Hays State Saturday, Jan. 1 | 3:30 p.m. | NSU Event Center
Records	Northeastern State (7-4, 2-3 MIAA) • Fort Hays State (9-1, 4-1 MIAA)
Game Notes	Northeastern State • Fort Hays State
Listen	Bill Huddleston (play-by-play) NSU Digital Network
Watch	The MIAA Network
Live Stats	NSU Live Stats
Tickets	Free General Admission Seating
Social Media	@RiverHawksMBB  | @RiverHawksMBB  | Facebook

The Setup

• The RiverHawks ring in the New Year looking to extend a six-game home winning streak that spans to the previous season.
• Due to COVID-19 protocols with the NSU women's basketball program, the RiverHawks will play single games at home this week.  Monday's game against Nebraska-Kearney has been moved up two hours with a 4 p.m. tip-off.  Saturday's game will be free general admission seating for fans of all ages. 

Last Time Out

• Christian Cook turned in a career-high 26 point performance as Northeastern State held back Washburn late Monday (Dec. 20) for an 85-82 road win.
• Cook had 11 points at the half and shot 8-for-13 from the field to pace all players on the floor, and it was his fifth 20-point performance. 
• The game had 12 lead changes and eight ties, with the final one being the momentum changer for the RiverHawks.   With 8:27 left and the game tied at 57-57, NSU scored six unanswered in the following minute to claim the lead for the final time.
• Emeka Obukwelu was a rebound short of a double-double with 21 points and nine rebounds. He also dished out four assists, a season-best for the graduate student.   Tylor Arnold matched Obukwelu in rebounds and assists, turning in a 15 point afternoon.  

Storylines

• Emeka Obukwelu has scored at least ten points in the last eight games and is ranked in the top-100 nationally in eight statistical categories.  The graduate student is ranked third in the MIAA with 7.27 defensive rebounds per game and fifth with 17.6 points per game.
• Rashad Perkins has turned into one of the top scoring threats in the MIAA off the bench this season, averaging 13.3 points per game.  At Missouri Western, his 40 points were the most for an NSU men's basketball player since 2014 and tied for the most in the game this season in the MIAA.  Perkins is shooting 62.3-percent from the field and 48.1-percent from the arc, averaging 26.6 minutes per game this year.
  Christian Cook has nine games this with at least ten points and has scored in double-figures in the last seven games for NSU.   Cook has two consecutive 20+ point games, shooting 51.5-percent in the final two games of 2021.  He has scored at least ten in 15 of the previous 16 contests, going back to last season. 
• Tylor Arnold has two double-double games this season for NSU and is fourth in points (8.5), second in rebounding (6.3), and leads the team in overall assists (33). Arnold played for head coach Ja Havens for three seasons at East Central (Okla.) and was on the top-10 list for career minutes played, career steals, and career throw percentage.  
• Northeastern State men's basketball set an attendance record during Thanksgiving break, with 2,231 fans attending their game against Haskell.  The number is good for the ninth-most in NCAA Division II basketball this season. 
• The RiverHawks have made a three-pointer in 107 consecutive games.  Feb. 2, 2017 against Southwest Baptist is the last time NSU did not make a three going 0-16.
• In October, Northeastern State was picked to finish in 13th place in both the MIAA Coaches and Media Polls.
• The 2021-22 season is the 93rd for men's basketball at Northeastern State.
• The RiverHawks are entering their tenth season as members of the MIAA and 25th season as an NCAA Division II program.

About Fort Hays Stae

• After opening the season with eight consecutive wins, Fort Hays State is receiving votes in the NABC Top-25 poll and was ranked as high as #23 in the media poll. 
• The Tigers are ranked second nationally, allowing just 56 points per game, with teams shooting 37.9-percent, good for the fifth lowest nationally.  Additionally, they average 13.1 fouls per game, eighth lowest in D2 men's basketball, and turnover the ball 9.5 times per game, good for seventh-best in the nation. 
• Jared Vitztum is the 22nd Fort Hays State player to reach 1,000 career points and the 11th to have over 600 rebounds. Among active career leaders he is 13th in Division II with 753, and 15th with 23 career double-doubles.   Vitztum is first in the nation averaging 9.1 defensive rebounds per game, and leads the MIAA with 10.6 rebounds per game. 
• Entered the season ranked eighth in NCAA Division II with over 1600 wins.

Last Time They Met

• Northeastern State couldn't cool a hot Fort Hays State squad in the second half as they fell.
• Assistant Coach Lucas Hunter led the team without a coaching staff due to COVID-19 protocols.
• Northeastern State shot 36.8-percent from the field, their lowest shooting game since the season opener 15 games prior.  

Series Notes

• Inside the NSU Event Center, the 4-4 overall with three losses coming within three points or less.
• Saturday is the seventh January meeting between the two programs.
• Northeastern State has averaged 69.5 points in 20 contests with the Tigers.
• First meeting was in the Fort Hays State 'Big Cheese Classic' on Nov. 14, 1981.  Northeastern State took the cheese, 73-58, over the Tigers.