TAHLEQUAH -- Northeastern State goes back on the road with a pair of away games this week in Edmond against #17 Central Oklahoma (Jan. 10, 7:30 p.m.) and in Wichita against Newman (Jan. 13, 3:30 p.m.). 

The RiverHawks will try to claim their first MIAA win of the season on the road after taking two losses in Tahlequah last week against #14 Northwest Missouri (78-65) and Missouri Western (73-55). 

The Setup
- Ja Havens is in his fourth season as the head men's basketball coach at Northeastern State and his eleventh season overall as a head coach. 
- The RiverHawks are in their 12th season as members of the MIAA and 27th season as an NCAA Division II program.  
- This week marks the first time the team has traveled in 2024. They return to the road later in January with away games against Missouri Southern (Jan. 24) and Pittsburg State (Jan. 27). 

Storylines
- Northeastern State enters the week as the lone team in the conference without a win inside of league action and are three games back from Rogers State (3-4) and Missouri Southern (3-4) at the cut line for MIAA postseason play.
- The RiverHawks are 1-3 on the road this season, with their lone win outside of Tahlequah coming on Nov. 18 at Texas-Tyler. They enter action this week on a three-game road losing streak, all of which are against conference opponents. 
- NSU had another efficient display of offense against the Bearcats, as their 53.3% (24-of-45) shooting clip marked their best against an MIAA school this season. The RiverHawks have shot at or higher than 50.0% five times this season and twice in their last three games. 
- Anthony Allen reached double figures in both contests last week with a 12-point effort against the Bearcats before leading all NSU players in scoring last Saturday with 16 against the Griffons. Allen also provided ten rebounds and two steals across last week's games. 
- Jaxon Jones has been a consistent force in providing scoring opportunities all season long and continued to be an active presence last week, matching a season high with eight assists against Northwest Missouri on Thursday. Jones is in second among all MIAA players with 5.8 assists per game and assist-to-turnover ratio (3.1).
- After dominating efforts on the glass and in the turnover battle against Ecclesia to round out 2023, the RiverHawks struggled in both areas in their return to conference ball last week. Combining for 47 rebounds and a -25 across matchups with Northwest Missouri and Missouri Western, their 21 boards against the Bearcats marked a season low. Meanwhile, the team forced 15 turnovers across both games after causing Ecclesia to cough up the basketball 22 times on Dec. 30. 
-Ranking first and second in assist-to-turnover ratio, NSU's opponents this week in Central Oklahoma (1.67) and Newman (1.55) have been great at controlling the passing lanes this season. The same can be said for the RiverHawks, who aren't too far behind in fourth (1.33). 
- Entering the week, Northeastern State ranks inside the nation's top 50 in fouls per game (t-17th, 14.0), assists per game (35th, 16.6) and assist-to-turnover ratio (38th, 1.33). 

Northeastern State at #17 Central Oklahoma // January 10 at 7:30 p.m. // Live Coverage

About #17 Central Oklahoma (13-3, 5-3 MIAA)
- After claiming wins in 12 of their first 13 and four of their first five in conference action, the Bronchos enter the week with losses in two of their last three. 
- Bob Hoffmann is in his fifth season leading the program and is one of the winningest coaches in college basketball history, claiming his 694th win as a head coach last week against Emporia State (94-86). Hoffmann previously spent time leading men's basketball programs at Mercer (2008-19), Texas Pan-Am (1999-2004) and Oklahoma Baptist (1990-99), while he also went 88-16 across three seasons as head women's basketball coach at Southern Nazarene (1987-90). Notably, Hoffman led Mercer to its first NCAA tournament in 2014 and scored a major upset over the Mike Krzyzewski-led Duke Blue Devils in the opening round. 
- Jaden Wells leads the UCO offense and ranks as one of the MIAA's top threats with the basketball in his hands, tying for fourth in the league with 17.8 PPG. Wells has also displayed a knack for picking opposing pockets, as he is tied for the conference lead with 2.1 steals per game. 
- The supporting cast for Wells is strong. Danquez Dawsey holds the conference lead in assists per game (6.5), while he sits in second on the team in scoring (14.3 PPG). Luke Haasl provides a boost down low, tying for second in the league in blocks per game (1.9) and averaging double figures in points (10.3). 

Last Time They Met
Central Oklahoma 67, Northeastern State 52 | Feb. 18, 2023 | Edmond, Okla.

- After a back-and-forth opening quarter of the game, the Bronchos went on a 16-8 scoring run across the final 9:07 of the half to take a double-digit lead at the break. The RiverHawks brought the game back to three points with 12:31 remaining, but the hosts maintained control of the lead the entire period to finish with the 15-point win.
- The RiverHawks shot under 40% from the field with a 39.2% (20-of-51) effort, while being limited from outside the arc with a 25.0% (4-of-16) performance. 
- Dillon Bailey (14 points), Christian Cook (ten) and Tylor Arnold (ten) reached double figures in the defeat, while the duo of Bailey and Arnold tied for the team lead in rebounding with five each.

Series Notes
- Central Oklahoma leads the series 101-62.
- The Bronchos have taken five straight, including the last two at Hamilton Field House. 
- The series will hit the century mark next year, with the first meeting taking place in 1925. The two schools have met on a near-annual basis outside of a hiatus in the series from 1984-1998. 

Northeastern State at Newman  // January 13 at 3:30 p.m. // Live Coverage

About Newman (6-7, 3-5 MIAA)
- Newman opened 2024 with consecutive losses, dropping contests to Emporia State (100-73) and Washburn (92-83) on the road. 
- Prior to facing the RiverHawks on Saturday, the Jets host Rogers State Wednesday. 
- R.J. Allen is in his eighth season as the head men's basketball coach at Newman University and is in his 13th season on the staff. Allen led the program during their transition to the MIAA and was on the staff for the team's first NCAA tournament appearance during the 2012-13 season. Prior to Newman, Allen was an assistant coach for five years at Concordia University. 
- Stevie Strong (16.3 PPG) leads a group of four Newman players averaging double figures this season, as the NU offense ranks seventh in the MIAA in scoring (76.2). 

Last Time They Met
Newman 79, Northeastern State 74 | Feb. 15, 2023 | Wichita, Kan.

- NSU fell victim to another big scoring run starting around ten minutes into the game, with Newman going on a 19-4 run to turn a one-point deficit (19-18) with 10:59 left in the first half into a 14-point lead (37-23) with 4:30 remaining in the period. The Newman lead would grow as large as 17 and a late charge from the RiverHawks would prove to not be enough to overcome it.  
- Despite the loss, the RiverHawks shot at 55.3% (26-of-47) and knocked down nine triples, but a -6 at the free throw line would make up the difference in the matchup, while NSU also took a -9 rebounding margin to NU in the setback.
- Dillon Bailey scored 33 points, the best across his NSU career, in the loss.     

Series Notes
- Northeastern State possesses a 10-4 advantage in the series. 
- Despite an 8-0 home record against NU, NSU has lost four of six in Wichita, including the last three away from Tahlequah. 
- Last season's 79-point offensive output against NSU last season marked the most for NU in a single game against the RiverHawks since 1987. 

Coming Up
Northeastern State goes back home with meetings with Central Missouri (Jan. 18) and Lincoln (Jan. 20) in the NSU Event Center.