TAHLEQUAH – Northeastern State women's basketball closes its season at home this week, hosting Lincoln Thursday at 5:30 p.m. and Central Missouri on Saturday afternoon at 1:30 p.m.. 

The RiverHawks (6-18, 3-17 MIAA) have been eliminated from a postseason berth in the MIAA Tournament but will play for pride and can be a spoiler for an NCAA Tournament-contending squad.   

On Saturday afternoon, Northeastern State will have members of its 2002-03 Lone Star Conference Championship team in attendance for a 20-year reunion.  That NSU squad went 24-7 overall and went to the NCAA postseason for the first time in program history. 

Lincoln (6-20, 4-16 MIAA) is out of postseason contention and is coming off a 75-71 home win against Emporia State.  The Blue Tigers' defense is last in the MIAA, allowing 74.2 points per game, with opposing teams shooting 45.7 percent.

Courtney Lee had a double-double in the first meeting this season, but they could not chase down the Blue Tigers in Jefferson City.  The final five minutes of the second quarter was the turning point of the game, and following a layup by Jaylee Kindred to give NSU a 26-25, the Blue Tigers finished the half on a 10-2 run.  Northeastern State played from behind the rest of the way.
 
Central Missouri (21-3, 17-3 MIAA) is clinched into the postseason and has an opportunity to claim a share of the MIAA Regular Season Championship if they were to win out its games and have Nebraska-Kearney lose Saturday to Fort Hays State.  The Jennies will be in Claremore to face Rogers State before visiting NSU. 

In the first meeting, Northeastern State gave Central Missouri some early trouble, but the Jennies would pull away in a 79-64 loss for the RiverHawks. Ashton Hackler hit a three-pointer to give the RiverHawks a 17-14 advantage at the end of the opening stanza over the Jennies.  Turnovers and fouls plagued NSU in the second quarter, with Central Missouri scoring 19 of their 23 points off free throws and miscues.

Hackler has paced NSU in scoring in 11 games this season and is 11th in the MIAA in scoring with 13.7 points per game.  The sophomore is fourth in the MIAA at the free throw line, shooting 84 percent.  Courtney Lee is sixth in the MIAA with 7.9 rebounds per game and has 11.8 points per game.  Jaylee Kindred is averaging 9.3 points and 4.8 rebounds per game. 

Fans unable to attend can watch the games online on The MIAA Network at TheMIAANetwork.com/nsugoriverhawks.