TAHLEQUAH – Northeastern State is back in The Nest for home matchups this week against Pittsburg State (Thursday at 7:30 p.m.) and Missouri Southern (Saturday at 3:30 p.m.).

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 (11-7, 5-4 MIAA) were dealt a pair of road losses last week at Emporia State (75-66) and Newman (76-73). While holding both opponents to under 44% shooting, NSU struggled to find a consistent offensive rhythm and a shooting touch from outside, turning the basketball over 32 times and logging makes on just 22.2% of three-point attempts (10-of-45). The RiverHawks also surrendered 28 offensive rebounds across last week's action, their most in a two-game stretch this season.

Individually, Ethan Blackmon led the team with 35 points over the two-game road trip, guided by a 20-point outburst against Newman on Saturday. It marked the sixth game on the season that the sophomore has reached or exceeded that amount in scoring. Meanwhile, Trey Phipps added 16 in the loss to the Jets.

Phipps holds a lead of nearly five points per game on the conference scoring title race with 21.7 PPG (second place entering the week is Washburn's Brayden Shorter at 16.9 PPG), while Ethan Blackmon is tied for fifth (15.8). Blackmon also paces all MIAA individuals in rebounding (7.7 RPG). Phipps and Jaxon Jones are tied for second in the conference in minutes per game (35.8). Additionally, Jones is tied for eighth in the league in assists per game (4.1), while Bryson Smith ties for third (4.5). Smith also ties for fourth in steals per game (1.9).

About Pittsburg State (10-8, 6-3 MIAA)

The Gorillas enter the week tied for second in the MIAA standings after a strong opening half of league play. PSU owns four wins in league play by ten or more points, while they also head into the week with a 4-1 record in true road games. Most recently, Jordan Frison scored a career-high 34 points to lead the Gorillas past Missouri Southern in an 83-75 road win last Saturday in Joplin, Mo.

Frison (15.8 PPG, 49.1 FG%, 6.0 APG) is tied for fifth in the league in scoring and leads in assists per game. The sophomore also ranks fourth among guards in field goal percentage. Avery Taggart (15.4 PPG, 42.7 3PT%, 4.9 RPG) closely trails Frison in scoring and paces the team in rebounding, while owning the top three-point percentage among regulars.

As a team, Pittsburg State is second across MIAA action in scoring (82.4 PPG) and field goal percentage (51.7%), while they are the top three-point shooting team in conference play (39.1%). Defensively, they allow the sixth-most points per contest in official league contests (77.0). MIAA opponents have only shot at a 44.1% clip, the fourth-lowest in the conference, while opposing three-point percentage is the third-highest (36.8%). The Gorillas are also third in MIAA play in rebounding (35.4 RPG) and second in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.31).

The Series

NSU is 24-55 across program history against PSU, but have earned wins in four of their last five. Trey Phipps picked up a steal and go-ahead basket in the final minute of a 91-87 win over PSU on Jan. 4.

About Missouri Southern (9-9, 4-5 MIAA)

The Lions enter tied for tenth in the MIAA standings after two straight losses to Rogers State (75-73) and Pittsburg State (83-75). Before facing NSU on Saturday, the team travels to Fort Smith to match up with UAFS on Thursday night at 7:30.

In conference play, MSSU ties for fifth in scoring (77.1 PPG) but allows the fourth-most points per contest (78.4). The offense sits in the top five in field goal percentage (47.5%, fourth) and three-point percentage (39.0%, second) but in the bottom five of the league ladder in opposing field goal percentage (47.3%, tenth) and opposing three-point percentage (36.7%, 11th). The Lions are fourth in rebounding (34.7 RPG) during conference play and third in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.19). 

Martin Macenis (14.8 PPG, 55.9 FG%, 4.9 RPG, 4.2 APG) leads the offense and owns the highest field goal percentage among guards in the MIAA. Macenis is also tied for sixth in assists per game, recently matching a season-high of nine against Central Oklahoma on Jan. 16. Three other individuals average at least 10.4 PPG, while Tyrone Wright (20 blocks) anchors the defensive end in the frontcourt and owns the sixth-most blocks in the conference entering the week.

The Series

NSU trails in the all-time series, 29-21, most recently picking up their seventh win in the series in Joplin in December with an 81-79 result. The RiverHawks have lost the last three in Tahlequah.

Up Next

The RiverHawks return to the road, facing Fort Hays State on Thursday, Feb. 6 (7:30 p.m.) and Nebraska Kearney (Feb. 8, 3:30 p.m.)