TAHLEQUAH – Northeastern State men's basketball returns this week in MIAA action, facing Arkansas-Fort Smith on the road on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. before taking the floor at the NSU Event Center against Newman on Thursday at 7:30.

A live broadcast feed will be available for both games on The MIAA Network (PPV). The games can also be listened to live on Lakes Country 102.1 with Orry Phillips on the call. 

A quick look back 

The RiverHawks enter the week with four wins across their November non-conference slate, most recently defeating Ecclesia in a 91-60 victory on Nov. 25 at Jack Dobbins Field House. Trey Phipps netted his fifth performance of 25 points or more with a 25-point effort. The Oral Roberts transfer is inside the top five across NCAA Division II men's basketball in scoring (25.7 PPG) entering Tuesday.

Offensively, NSU is third in the MIAA with 85.3 PPG, while they are one of five teams in the conference that have made a majority of their shots so far.

About Arkansas-Fort Smith (3-3)

In their second season under head coach Zane Gibson, the Lions enter the week at .500. Most recently, UAFS knocked off Quincy on the road in a 78-74 triumph last Wednesday. The team's lone common opponent with NSU is Southern Nazarene, who defeated the Lions on Nov. 22 at the Stubblefield Center in a 68-66 result.

Terrell Williams Jr. leads UAFS in scoring (14.3 PPG) and shoots 39.1% (9-of-23) from outside. Elijah Wilson has been one of the offense's recent hot hands, scoring at least 18 in two of his last three. 

The Series

NSU is 2-3 all-time against UAFS, winning the last meeting over eight years ago on Nov. 22, 2016 (70-65). This marks the first meeting with the Lions with UAFS as a member of the MIAA, as the 2024-25 season marks the first for Arkansas-Fort Smith in the conference.

About Newman (4-2)

The Jets enter the week winners of four out of six so far, though only one has been against an NCAA opponent (80-64 over Southwestern Oklahoma on Nov. 8). Most recently, NU took an 87-70 loss in Wichita, Kan. to Oklahoma Baptist, surrendering 12 tripes to OBU and six to Ethan Scott, who finished the night with 21 points. 

Defending the three-point shot has not been easy for the Jets defense this season, as opposing long-range shooters have struck at a 34.9% (58-of-166) clip so far, a mark that is the fifth-highest in the MIAA. Offensively, Aaron Murphy (10.0 PPG) is the lone player to average double figures in scoring. The R.J. Allen-led group boastd a large rotation, with no individuals averaging more than 19.8 minutes per game this season and 11 different players seeing time in at least five games this season.

The Series

NSU is 12-4 all-time against Newman, most recently sweeping the season series last year against the Jets with a pair of victories in 2024. The program is unbeaten across nine meetings in Tahlequah against NU, dating back to the second meeting in the all-time series in 1983.

Up Next

The RiverHawks are off for ten days before completing a regular season series with Gulf South Conference (GSC) opponent Christian Brothers in Memphis, Tenn. on Sunday, Dec. 15 before returning to MIAA play in Joplin, Mo. against Missouri Southern on Tuesday, Dec. 17.