BETHANY, Okla. – Trey Phipps scored over 20 points for the fourth consecutive game but Northeastern State could not hold off a second-half run by Southern Nazarene and dropped a road contest 71-66 on Saturday night.

The RiverHawks (2-2) led as many as 18 points with 5:52 left in the first half and took a ten-point advantage into the intermission.  

In their season opener, Southern Nazarene outscored the RiverHawks by 15 in the second half and broke a 66-66 game with a tip-in basket with 32 seconds left to claim its first home win over NSU since 1988.  

Phipps had 25 points and made four three-pointers, Bryson Smith added 13 points, and Ethan Blackmon scored 10 points. Jaxon Jones highlighted NSU's efforts on the glass with nine rebounds.

NSU, after making eight three-pointers in the opening half, were limited to just one converted triple and eight made field goals in the final 20 minutes

Northeastern State remains on the road and will face Truman State this Wednesday at 6 p.m.