Northeastern State at Pittsburg State  Thursday, Jan. 27 | 7:30 p.m. | John Lance Arena
Records	Northeastern State (9-9, 4-8 MIAA) • Pittsburg State (4-14, 3-9 MIAA)
Game Notes	Northeastern State • Pittsburg State
Listen	Bill Huddleston (play-by-play) NSU Digital Network
Watch	The MIAA Network
Live Stats	NSU Live Stats
Tickets	Tickets Available at Gate | Pitt State Ticketing
Social Media	@RiverHawksMBB  | @RiverHawksMBB  | Facebook

The Setup

• This weekend, the RiverHawks are on the road and will make their 46th trek to Gorilla country to face Pittsburg State.  Northeastern State won the first game of the series, 59-42, in Tahlequah.  At Pittsburg, NSU will look for their first win on the Gorillas'  home court since 2001.  

Last Time Out

at Northeastern State 59, Lincoln 50 | Jan. 27, 2022 | Tahlequah

• Behind a double-double effort from Emeka Obukwelu, Northeastern State snapped a four-game skid and handed Lincoln a 59-50 loss on Saturday evening inside the NSU Event Center.
• Obukwelu turned in his sixth 20 point effort with a game-high 21 points and netted 12 rebounds for the graduate student's fifth double-double of the year.   Tylor Arnold was NSU's second-leading scorer with ten points and six rebounds.  
• Northeastern State had trouble closing the door on the Blue Tigers, and they pulled in within four (44-39) with 12:04 left in the game.  The RiverHawks responded by forcing a pair of LU turnovers and a 6-0 run which was enough to net them a home win. 
• The RiverHawks shot 42.6-percent (20-47) on the floor and held Lincoln to 32.8-percent (19-58).

Storylines

• Emeka Obukwelu has scored at least ten points in the last 15 games and is sixth overall in the MIAA, averaging 17.2 points per game.  Nationally speaking, Obukwelu is among the top-100 in seven statistical categories.  He is the only player in the Division II men's basketball with a pair of 20 rebound games this season and is second in the MIAA with 9.3 boards per outing.  
• Rashad Perkins has turned into one of the top scoring threats in the MIAA off the bench this season, averaging 12.8 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 has been sent to the line 82 times, which is sixth most in the MIAA.
• Christian Cook has scored at least ten in 21 of the previous 23 contests, going back to last season.  In his short career at NSU so far, Cook has 462 points scored in 38 games.
• Tylor Arnold has two double-double games this season for NSU and is fourth in points (8.3), second in rebounding (5.6), and first in overall assists (51).  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.  
• After missing the season's first eight games, Ryan Gendron made his first start on Jan. 22 against Lincoln.  He is shooting 52.9-percent on the floor in the last four games, averaging 6.5 points and 4.3 rebounds per game
• 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 15th-most in NCAA Division II basketball this season, with the program ranked 17th overall in attendance.
• The RiverHawks has made a three-pointer in 114 consecutive games.  Feb. 2, 2017 against Southwest Baptist is the last time NSU did not make a three.
• 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 Pittsburg State

• This weekend, the RiverHawks are on the road and will maPitt State comes into Thursday's game on a five-game skid, with their last win coming on New Year's Day at Missouri Western (72-64).  The Gorillas have lost their previous three games at home; the last time they dropped four straight in Pittsburg was at the end of the 2018-19 season.   Despite some of their woes this season, Pitt State has won three of their seven home games.
• The Gorillas are ranked 12th in the MIAA in rebounding (31.9 rpg), and its scoring offense is in the bottom 30 nationally with 65.8 points per game. 
• Iziah James is Pitt State's leading scorer with 10.9 points per game and is their lone player averaging double-figures.  This season, Cameron Huefner has started 17 games and is second in scoring with 9.5 points per game. 
• Bobby Arthur-Williams Jr. missed the Gorillas' first 12 games due to injury, is averaging 15.2 points and 6.0 rebounds in six games played.

Last Time They Met

at Northeastern State 59, Pittsburg State 50 | Dec. 11, 2021 | Tahlequah

• The win was the sixth straight inside the Event Center as the RiverHawks improved to 6-3 (1-2 MIAA), surpassing their 2020-21 season win total. 
• Emeka Obukwelu was a rebound short of a double-double with a game-high 19 points and nine rebounds.
• Pitt State wound up shooting a dismal 24.5% (13-53) to drop to 2-8 (1-3 MIAA).  The Gorillas' 42 points are the lowest effort in an NSU win since 1934 which was a 32-31 contest. 
• Northeastern State was limited to 46 possessions, a low under head coach Ja Havens, but for the first time since the defense held a team to sub-25% shooting. 

Series Notes

Northeastern State trails 24-55 | 15-18 at home | 9-36 in Pittsburg | 0-1 neutral 

• One of the oldest active series for NSU, second only to Central Oklahoma (1925).
• Pittsburg State has controlled their home half of the series by winning their last ten meetings with NSU.  Northeastern State's last win at Pitt State was on Nov. 21, 2001 (65-60). 
• Northeastern State has not won consecutive games in the series since 1988.