TAHLEQUAH (Feb. 24, 2024) – With a conference postseason berth already locked up, Northeastern State took another step toward securing a winning record for the 2023-24 basketball campaign, downing in-state rival Central Oklahoma 73-57 on Saturday afternoon at the NSU Event Center.

Fifth-year senior Halie Jones scored 23 points – just two off her collegiate best – to go with six rebounds and four steals to lead NSU (14-12, 10-10 MIAA) on its Senior Day. In completing a season sweep of UCO (7-19, 6-14), NSU led for all but three minutes and shot 48.1 percent from the field, its fourth-highest field-goal percentage of the season. NSU has won three of its last four games against the Bronchos and now leads the overall series 34-32.

With two regular-season games and at least one game (perhaps more) in the conference tournament remaining in coach Keith Ferguson's first season at the helm, NSU needs just one more win to secure a positive record for the first time since finishing 19-8 during the 2012-13 season.

NSU clinched a spot in the MIAA tournament on Thursday by beating Newman (Kan.). The RiverHawks will be either the eighth or ninth seed in the 10-team event that will begin March 6 at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Mo. NSU is tied for eighth with Emporia State (Kan.) but holds the tiebreaker due to a win over first-place Missouri Western earlier this season.

UCO's only lead came in the first quarter. The Bronchos went ahead 18-15 with 1:25 left in the quarter on two free throws by Talia Pogi, but NSU scored the next 10 points and never trailed again. The RiverHawks led 39-30 at halftime.

The RiverHawks pushed their lead to 18 points at 52-34 on a jumper by Jones with 3:43 left in the third quarter. UCO pulled within 55-51 with 6:49 left on a 3-pointer by Karly Wadsworth but Jones answered with a layup and Courtney Lee hit four free throws to rebuild NSU's lead to double digits.

Lee finished with 11 points and seven rebounds as NSU posted a 42-35 rebounding advantage. Tor'e Alford added 10 points for the RiverHawks. NSU's senior class celebrated Saturday consists of Jones, Alford and Tess Talo Tomokino, who finished with five points, six rebounds and four assists.

Wadsworth went 5 of 7 from 3-point range and scored 15 points to lead UCO. Natalie Stice and Caley Young each scored nine points for the Bronchos.

NSU will close the regular season with a pair of road games, on Thursday at Lincoln (Mo.) and on Saturday at longtime NCAA Division II power Central Missouri.