TAHLEQUAH – Northeastern State Men's Basketball begins their season on the exhibition circuit, visiting the Donald W. Reynolds Center to face Tulsa on Monday, Nov. 4 at 7 p.m.

The game does count on the record of Tulsa, as this marks their regular season opener.

Retired head men's basketball coach Ken Hayes will be honored at the game, which serves as the regular season opener for the Golden Hurricane. A 1956 and 1959 graduate of Northeastern State, Hayes coached at both institutions and won 391 games in his years at NSU, Oral Roberts and Tulsa. Following his retirement from coaching, Hayes was included into the Northeastern State Hall of Fame in 1999 and Tulsa Hall of Fame in 2008.

A quick look back 

The RiverHawks enter their fifth campaign under head men's basketball coach Ja Havens after winning 11 games overall and six in MIAA play during the previous year. 

Two regular starters are back from the previous season's team in Jaxon Jones and Keon Edwards. Jones returns after leading the MIAA in assists per game (5.2) last year and finishing fourth on the team in scoring (9.8 PPG). Edwards (7.8 PPG) started in all 28 games and reached double figures eight times in the second half of the season.

Key weapons off the bench from last year come back in the forms of Ethan Blackmon and Caison Hartloff. Blackmon was the team's top scorer during conference play, averaging 12.1 PPG against MIAA opponents, while he led the RiverHawks in rebounding (5.7 RPG) on the season. Hartloff was one of NSU's most efficient three-point shooters a year ago, knocking down shots from beyond the arc at a 42.4% (39-of-92) clip with 9.1 PPG.

Key additions include Oral Roberts transfer Trey Phipps (40.2% shooting with ORU), NJCAA All-American Taven Washington (19.1 PPG, 52% shooting, 7 RPG), and NJCAA National Champion Bryson Smith (14.8 PPG, 53.3% FG). 

In the MIAA Preseason Coaches Poll, NSU was picked to finish 11th in the 14-team league, while the RiverHawks were tabbed to finish 12th in the Media Poll.

About the opponent

The Golden Hurricane have faced one NCAA Division II opponent this season, winning an exhibition against Missouri S&T on Oct. 29 in a 75-70 result that took overtime to decide. Four different players reached double figures for Tulsa, who held the Miners without a make over the last 3:45 of extra time to avoid the upset. 

Tulsa was selected to finish tenth out of 13 teams in the American Athletic Conference (AAC) Men's Basketball Preseason Poll. The Golden Hurricane return eight players from last season's 16-15 team with seven newcomers.

Key returners include graduate guard Keaston Willis, who has scored more than 1,600 career points and 300 three-pointers during his collegiate playing career, a pair of AAC All-Freshman Honorees in guard Tyshawn Archie (7.2 PPG) and forward Matt Reed (4.5 PPG, 4.2 RPG) and two starters in leading rebounder Jared Garcia (9.4 PPG, 6.0 RPG) and Isaiah Barnes (8.2 PPG, 3.7 RPG).

Eric Konkol is in his third season as the head men's basketball coach at Tulsa after spending seven seasons (2015-22) in the same role at Louisiana Tech, where he won a Conference USA West division title in 2021 and was named the league's Coach of the Year in the same season. He previously worked as a student assistant at TU from 2000-01.

The series

The teams have met 20 times previously, with Tulsa owning a 15-5 lead in the all-time series and five straight wins. NSU's last victory over Tulsa came back on Dec. 16, 1941, while the program's lone win in Tulsa happened on Jan. 13, 1928.

Monday's meeting will be just the second this century, with the first occurring on Jan. 3, 2009 in Tulsa.

On the air

The contest can be heard on Lakes Country 102.1 FM, featuring the 'Voice of the RiverHawks' Orry Phillips on the call alongside William Morgan and Shawn Solo. Radio coverage begins at 6:30. The game can also be watched on ESPN+ for subscribers.

Up next

Northeastern State begins the regular season by traveling to face Northwestern Oklahoma in Edmond, Okla. on Nov. 8. Their first home matchup takes place on Thursday, Nov. 14 against Haskell at the NSU Event Center for the Nike N7 Game at 7:30.