KIRKSVILLE, Mo. – Despite Ethan Blackmon's stellar performance and his second double-double of the season, Northeastern State fell to Truman State 90-87 on a dramatic buzzer-beating three-pointer Wednesday evening.

Blackmon contributed 19 points and 10 rebounds for NSU (2-3), while Taven Washington delivered an exceptional 24 points off the bench, shooting an efficient 10-for-13 from the field. Trey Phipps remained consistent, extending his streak of 20-point games to six with 20 points and four steals. Bryson Smith added 14 points and five rebounds.

The RiverHawks faced an uphill battle early, as Truman State opened with 12 unanswered points and built an 18-point lead in the first half. In the second half, Washington ignited a rally with eight points during a four-minute stretch where NSU made six consecutive baskets, cutting Truman State's lead to 55-53 with 14:15 remaining.

The game became a back-and-forth affair in the closing minutes, with the lead changing hands ten times. Blackmon's clutch free throws tied the game at 87-87 with 34 seconds to play. However, Truman State's timeout with 14 seconds left set up a final possession, culminating in the game-winning three-pointer.

NSU shot an impressive 57.4% (31-54) from the field and 6-for-14 from three-point range, while Truman State shot 58.9% and connected on 11 three-pointers. Brennan Lovette led the Bulldogs (3-1) with 16 points off the bench, one of four players in double figures.

The RiverHawks will look to rebound on Saturday when they host Christian Brothers University (Tenn.) for the first time. Tip-off is scheduled for 2 p.m.