Northeastern State vs. Central Missouri Thursday, Jan. 20  |  5:30 p.m. | NSU Event Center
Records	Northeastern State (3-11, 1-7 MIAA) • Central Missouri (12-6, 8-3 MIAA)
Game Notes	Northeastern State •  Central Missouri
Listen	Steve Bruan (play-by-play)  NSU Digital Network
Watch	The MIAA Network
Live Stats	NSU Live Stats
Tickets	Tickets Available at Gate | NSU Ticketing
Social Media	@RiverHawksWBK  | @RiverHawksWBK  | Facebook

The Setup

• Northeastern State plays three games in the next six days as they close out a five-game homestand in Tahlequah.  The RiverHawks will host Central Missouri, an NCAA Final Four team from last season who comes into the contest winning their previous three games. 

Last Time Out

Rogers State 63, at Northeastern State 56 | January 15, 2022 | Tahlequah 

• The RiverHawks had three in double-figures, but they couldn't overcome cold shooting and turnovers in a 63-56 loss to Rogers State Saturday afternoon. Northeastern State played catch-up for most of the game after shooting 15.8-percent in the second quarter.
• Northeastern State shot 34.3-percent and committed 14 turnovers which RSU outscored the RiverHawks 14-to-7 on miscues. 
• Maleeah Langstaff paced NSU for the sixth time this season with a game-high 17 points and was a rebound short of her fifth double-double with nine.

Scheduling Switch

• Due to COVID postponing two games for the RiverHawks three upcoming dates have been changed on the upcoming schedule.  NSU will host Nebraska-Kearney on Jan. 25 (was Jan. 3) and Fort Hays State on Feb. 7 (was Jan. 1).  The RiverHawks will play at Pitt State on Jan. 27, one day later than previously scheduled.

Storylines

• Zaria Collins holds the MIAA's ninth highest-scoring average per game this season at 15.0 and has scored at least ten points in 12 of the last 14 games.  
• Maleeah Langstaff is among the top-100 in the nation in six statistical categories this season and is fifth in the MIAA, shooting 52.1-percent from the field.  The senior is among the MIAA leaders with 6.6 defensive rebounds per game and third in the association with 9.5 rebounds per game.  This season, Langstaff has four double-double games and is tied for third among scorers in MIAA play with 18.3 points.
• Morgan Lee leads the RiverHawks with 89 games played with 57 starts.  Against Bacone this season, Lee had a career-high seven steals, which is third-most in a game in the MIAA this season and tied for 12-most in NCAA Division II women's basketball.   Her twin-sister Maegan Lee is third on the NSU roster averaging 9.3 points per game this season.  The RiverHawks have a third Lee in true-freshman Courtney Lee, who is not related to the Lee Twins and has seen the floor in 13 games.
• Ashton Hackler has started the last four games and has averaged 12.3 points in the previous four contests.  The true freshman has scored at least ten points per game in that same span.
• After missing the first six games due to injury, true-freshman Jaylee Kindred made her career debut at Northwest Missouri and her first start at Central Oklahoma.  Kailyn Lay started and made her NSU debut against Pittsburg State on Dec. 12; she is third in MIAA play with 4.8 assists per game. 
• Northeastern State's 62 team rebounds against Bacone is an MIAA high tied for 17th-most in NCAA Division II women's basketball this season.
• NSU has a 627 game streak of making at least one three-pointer.  Dec. 30, 1999, at Central Arkansas is the last time Northeastern State without making a trey.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 Central Missouri

• Central Missouri has played the toughest schedule to date in D2 Women's Basketball, with its past opposition holding a .709 winning percentage. 
• Moved from eighth to sixth in this week's D2SIDA Central Region Poll.
• Five of their six setbacks this season have come away from Warrensburg.
• Nija Collier comes into the Thursday game with 1,170 career points and a 9.4 career rebounding average, the ninth highest among active leaders in D2 Women's Basketball. She is second in D2 Women's Basketball with 11 double-doubles and second with 126 made field goals.  Collier also leads the nation with 206 rebounds this season.
• Charley Bovaird has played from horn to horn in four contests this season and paces D2 Women's Basketball with 655.44 minutes played.

Last Time They Met

Central Missouri 86, Northeastern State 62 | January 21, 2021 | Warrensburg

• No. 22 Central Missouri had 23 offensive rebounds and took the lead for good at the 4:34 mark in the first quarter.
• The RiverHawks played the game without its leading scorer at the time.
• Central Missouri out-rebounded the RiverHawks by 24 which was is the largest margin since 2016 for the Northeastern State program. 

Series Notes

Northeastern State leads series 0-10 | 0-5 at home | 0-1 in Warrensburg | 0-1 neutral

• Northeastern State and Central Missouri have only met as MIAA members.
• The two teams met in the MIAA Tournament Quarterfinals once in 2014. 
• The RiverHawks have averaged 59.1 points in the ten meetings with UCM.  
• Central Missouri has averaged 73.2 points when facing Northeastern State