EMPORIA, Kansas – The RiverHawks (4-11 in MIAA) tied the program record with 15 made 3-pointers (11-3 in MIAA) but fell at Emporia State 86-75 on Thursday evening. Northeastern State shot 50.9 percent for the game and 53.6 percent from deep but allowed 20 points off turnovers.

Senior Cenia Hayes proved herself to be a team leader scoring 17 points and pulling down eight assists to go with five assists. The RiverHawks had a balanced scoring attack as eight of the ten players to see game action scored and NSU assisted on 21 of its 29 made field goals. 

"It was good team ball. Everybody chipped away," head coach Fala Bullock said. "It was a good team effort offensively and if we could have taken a little better care of the ball in the first half I think that could have changed the outcome. Everyone is working hard offensively to follow our game plan, we fell short on the defensive side."

The RiverHawks shot 72.7 percent, their best clip of the season, in the first quarter. However, the Lady Hornets were able to keep pace shooting 50.0 percent and forced seven turnovers. When sophomore Tre'Zure Jobe pickpocketed fellow Wichita native Britney Ho and was fouled attempting a 3-pointer on the other end Emporia State looked to grab the momentum. 

It was short-lived though, as junior Kiarra Brooks made three-straight 3-pointers on both sides of the quarter break. She brought NSU within one 26-25 with 7:51 in the second stanza. The Lady Hornets then went on a 24-15 run to close the quarter. 

At the half down ten points, 50-40, NSU had turned the ball over 11 times and Emporia State capitalized scoring 17 points. 

"I think our mistakes are fixable but it takes some discipline and we've gotta sharpen up the foundational roles we have for each player," Bullock said.

Head coach @Coachfala's postgame comments from the bus. #TeamNSU

"It was a good team effort offensively and if we could have taken better care of the ball in the first half that could have changed the outcome." pic.twitter.com/oFTxfTarZi
— RiverHawks WBB (@RiverHawksWBK) February 5, 2021
 

In the second half NSU only committed three turnovers but couldn't battle back after cutting the lead to six early in the third quarter. The RiverHawks went scoreless for 3:23 and allowed the Lady Hornets to pull out to a 67-52 lead. They continued to trail by 15 until Collins scored with 0:33 remaining and Hayes notched her fifth 3-pointer as the final buzzer sounded.

In what was a meeting of the top two sophomores in the MIAA Emporia State's Tre'Zure Jobe scored 29 points to outdo Zaria Collins as she was off her average netting 14. 

The Lady Hornets shot 47.0 percent themselves making 11 3-pointers and outscored the RiverHawks by 11 at the free throw line. Only seven players saw the floor but four of the starters scored 13 or more points. 

Northeastern State now travels to Washburn for a home-and-home matchup. Tipoff in Topeka is scheduled for 1 p.m. Saturday before the Ichabods visit Tahlequah Feb. 9 at 4 p.m.

NOTES: Fourth straight game Shae Sanchez has led RiverHawks with assists…Brooks was a perfect 4-4 from 3-point range, her 12 points set a career-high…Most 3-pointers made in Bullock's four-year tenure…Tied program record with 15 3-point makes last reached Jan. 5, 2013…Hayes tied career-high with five 3-point makes…NSUs bench scored 22 points, the most since Dec. 17.