Northeastern State at Central Oklahoma Thursday, Jan. 6 | 7:30 p.m. | Hamilton Field House
Records	Northeastern State (8-5, 3-4 MIAA) • Central Oklahoma  (11-2, 6-1 MIAA)
Game Notes	Northeastern State • Central Oklahoma
Listen	Bill Huddleston (play-by-play) NSU Digital Network
Watch	The MIAA Network
Live Stats	NSU Live Stats
Tickets	Tickets Available at Gate | UCO Ticketing
Social Media	@RiverHawksMBB  | @RiverHawksMBB  | Facebook

The Setup

• Northeastern State will look to halt a UCO seven game win streak Thursday evening in Edmond as the RiverHawks will look to win their sixth consecutive against their historic intrastate rival.
• A win in Edmond would be NSU's fourth consecutive, matching its longest span from 2000-04.

Last Time Out

Northeastern State 97, Neb.-Kearney 90  (2OT) | Jan. 3, 2022 | Tahlequah, Okla.

• NSU had six in double-digit scoring as they needed two overtime periods to outlast Nebraska-Kearney 97-90 Monday evening. 
• Rashad Perkins was a catalyst off the bench scoring 13 of his team-high 24 points in overtime as the RiverHawks picked up their first home win over the Lopers since Jan. 2014.
• Tylor Arnold was a rebound short of a double-double with 20 points, his best scoring effort since Nov. 20 at Oklahoma Christian.
• Emeka Obukwelu had 16 points, eight rebounds, and five assists.  Christian Cook scored 13, Obi Agu had 12, Dillon Bailey added ten points. 

Storylines

• Emeka Obukwelu has scored at least ten points in the last 11 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.  The graduate student holds the sixth-largest points outing this season in the MIAA with 31 against Arlington Baptist and the highest rebounds in a game at 20 against Ozarks (Ark.).
• Rashad Perkins has turned into one of the top scoring threats in the MIAA off the bench this season, averaging 13.7 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 67 times, which is third most in the MIAA.
• Christian Cook has nine games with at least ten points and has scored in double-figures in the last five games for NSU.    He has scored at least ten in 17 of the previous 18 contests, going back to last season. 
• Tylor Arnold has two double-double games this season for NSU and is fourth in points (9.0), second in rebounding (6.2), and tied for first in overall assists (37). 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 has made a three-pointer in 109 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 Central Oklahoma

• Central Oklahoma has won eight straight games this season at Hamilton Field House with their last loss coming to NSU in their 2021 home finale. 
• With an 11-2 start to the season, UCO is off to their best start since 2014-15 where they went 12-2. 
• The Bronchos lead the MIAA in six statical categories and are second in eight others.  They are ranked eighth nationally with 215 made free throws and ninth with 234 assists.   Commits the sixth most fouls per game in the MIAA a 12.4, and they are ninth in committing 12.4 turnovers per game.
• Callen Haydon leads the UCO with 69 assists this season which paces the MIAA.  He was limited to a season-low one point and played 16 minutes against Newman on Monday.
• Led in scoring by Isaiah Wade, a sixth-year senior who is averaging 19.3 points per game this season, fourth-most in the MIAA.

Last Time They Met

Northeastern State 96, Central Oklahoma 89 | Feb. 21, 2021 | Tahlequah, Okla.

• Northeastern State's bench had 46 points in a weekend home-and-home sweep over UCO.
• RiverHawks trailed the 'Chos by 12 in the second half and led for only 11 minutes. 
• Christian Cook hit five of the team's 11 three-pointers to have 17 points off the bench.
• Only time in the series that started in 1925 that a team swept a back-to-back day series.

Series Notes

Northeastern State trails 61-101 | 23-55 in Edmond | 37-44 in Tahlequah | 1-2 neutral 

• The oldest active series for the RiverHawks that dates back to 1925.
• Northeastern State has won the last five games in the series, its longest since winning 11 consecutive from 2000-04.
• Northeastern State is the first team to play at UCO's Hamilton Field House (Jan. 8, 1965).
• Inside Hamilton Field House, NSU is 17-25 overall and has won the last three meetings on UCO's home floor.
• NSU downed the Bronchos, 83-71, in overtime to close Jack Dobbins Field House on Feb. 27, 2013. 
• In MIAA play, the RiverHawks trail the series 8-10.
• Head Coach Ja Havens played against UCO twice during his senior season at Northeastern State.