Northeastern State at Central Oklahoma Thursday, Jan. 6  |  5:30 p.m. | Hamilton Field House
Records	Northeastern State (2-8, 0-4 MIAA) • Central Oklahoma (8-5, 4-3 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	@RiverHawksWBK  | @RiverHawksWBK  | Facebook

The Setup

• After having its first two games of 2022 postponed due to COVID-19 protocols, the RiverHawks will return to action for the first time in 19 days.  They will be back on the road, a familiar place for NSU this season, where they have played all but two of their ten games away from home.
• This will be the second consecutive season where NSU had to postpone games out of the New Year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 
• Northeastern State opened the season at UCO in the Central Region Classic, splitting their weekend games.

Last Time Out

Emporia State 66, Northeastern State 59 | December 18, 2021 | Emporia, Kan.

• Maleeah Langstaff led the RiverHawks with 17 points and was a rebound short of a double-double, but they would come up short, falling 66-59 on the road to Emporia State Saturday evening. 
• Key turnovers and the Lady Hornets were +10 on Northeastern State in points in the paint halted a late come from behind win. 
• Ashton Hackler aided NSU off the bench with a career-high 15 points making five of the RiverHawks' nine three-pointers on the night.
• The RiverHawks held a 34-to-33 rebounding edge, shooting 37.7-percent (23-61) on the floor. Kailyn Lay had five assists, and Maegan Lee scored eight.

Storylines

• Zaria Collins holds the MIAA's eighth highest-scoring average per game this season at 15.1 and has scored at least ten points in nine of the last 11 games.  The junior is ninth in the MIAA with 145 field-goal attempts. 
• Maleeah Langstaff is among the top-100 in the nation in seven statistical categories this season, and fourth in the MIAA shoot 51.8-percent from the field.  The senior is among the MIAA leaders with 7.0 defensive rebounds per game and third in the association with 9.9 rebounds per game.  Langstaff is sixth in the MIAA with four double-double games this season. 
• Morgan Lee leads the RiverHawks with 88 games played with 55 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 9.4 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 eight games.
• After missing the first six games due to injury, true-freshman Jaylee Kindred made her career debut at Northwest Missouri.  Kailyn Lay started and made her NSU debut against Pittsburg State on Dec. 12.
• Jessica Barrow leads the RiverHawks with 156 made three-pointers and is shooting .390 from the arc, averaging 8.7 points per game.
• Northeastern State's 62 team rebounds against Bacone is an MIAA high tied for 15th-most in NCAA Division II women's basketball this season.
• NSU has a 623 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 Oklahoma

• Heading into Thursday evening's contest with the RiverHawks, Central Oklahoma has won 12 consecutive games on their home court and are 5-0 during the current season.  The Bronchos' last loss in Hamilton Field House came to Fort Hays State on Feb. 6, 2021 (73-58).
• Kelsey Johnson leads UCO with eight double-doubles this season and is third in the MIAA with 19.8 points per game, and she is second in rebounding at 10.2.  The COVID-senior has over 1,000 points in 2+ seasons at UCO and is a career 56.3-percent shooter, which is 14th best among active players in D2 Women's Basketball. 
• Central Oklahoma is second in the MIAA in causing 18.7 turnovers per game and holds the nation's 16th best free-throw percentage at 78.6.  However, the Bronchos commit the fourth most fouls in the nation and are in the bottom 40 nationally in turnovers committed. 

Last Time They Met

Central Oklahoma 86, Northeastern State 68 | February 20, 2021 | Tahlequah, Okla.

• Zaria Collins led the RiverHawks with 16 points, including 11 in the first stanza.
• The RiverHawks were out-rebounded by 19 to Central Oklahoma.
• Central Oklahoma opened the fourth quarter on a 14-2 run on the RiverHawks.

Series Notes

Northeastern State leads series 40-31 | 16-16 in Edmond | 20-15 in Tahlequah | 4-0 neutral

• One of the oldest active series for NSU dating back to Feb. 25, 1978.
• Northeastern State is 16-16 in Edmond but has lost five straight to UCO.  The RiverHawks last win on the 'Chos' home court was on Feb. 6, 2016 (67-61 in overtime).
• Head Coach Fala Suiaunoa played against UCO four times and was 3-1 against the 'Chos.
• The nine game winning streak by UCO is the longest by either team in the series' history.
• Thursday will be the 14th meeting between the two teams in Edmond.