TAHLEQUAH – Northeastern State returns home to end January and start February with matchups against #6 Pittsburg State (Thursday at 5:30 p.m.) and Missouri Southern (Saturday at 1:30 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 (9-9, 5-4 MIAA) moved over .500 in league action with two road wins last week against Emporia State (61-56) and Newman (74-72), despite shooting just 34.5% from the field across the week. Alex Hill led the team over the short road trip with 26 points, including 15 against ESU. Hill reached 1,000 points on her career with her 15th scored point in the ESU game, while Courtney Lee paced the unit in scoring on Saturday against NU with 18 points, while grabbing five rebounds. Her fourth on the day marked her 500th in her collegiate playing career. Meanwhile, Aubrey Brown played her 96th and 97th games with the program last week, only three away from becoming the first NSU women's basketball player since 2022 to appear in 100 games with the program.

After last week's wins, Northeastern State moves to a tie for sixth with Missouri Southern in the MIAA standings. Entering the week, Hill ranks tenth in the MIAA in scoring (14.5 PPG). During conference play, Annaston Brown is tenth in three-point field goals per game (1.7).

As a team, the RiverHawks are inside the league's top five in average turnover margin (2.5) and are second in steals (9.7 SPG). In conference games, the team is fifth in the MIAA in scoring (69.7 PPG) and first in opposing three-point percentage (28.3%). 

About #6 Pittsburg State (17-2, 9-0 MIAA)

The Gorillas are the last remaining undefeated team inside of MIAA play, most recently earning a 68-52 win over Missouri Southern in Joplin, Mo. on Saturday. Among the team's nine league wins, seven have been decided by at least 20 points and none by less than 12.

PSU leads the MIAA and ranks eighth in the nation in scoring (81.4 PPG), while they lead Division II women's basketball in field goal percentage (48.9%) and are seventh in three-point percentage (37.8%). They also rank second in the MIAA in assists per game (17.7). Defensively during MIAA action, the Gorillas are second in the conference in scoring (58.9 PPG), third in opposing field goal percentage (37.0%) and second in opposing three-point percentage (28.5%). Across the season, the Gorillas own the fifth-best rebounding margin in the country (11.7).

Karenna Gerber (16.2 PPG, 61.2 FG%, 89.5 FT%, 9.2 RPG) is one of three PSU individuals to average at least 14.3 PPG and is fifth in the MIAA in scoring and second in rebounding. Her field goal percentage is fifth among all Division II women's basketball players. Macie Mays (14.7 PPG, 52.6 FG%) scored a career-high 30 points against Northeastern State on Jan. 4 and has reached double figures three times in five games since then. Grace Pyle (14.3 PPG, 37.2 3PT%) is fourth in the MIAA in three-point field goals per game (2.5) and Harper Schreiner is fourth in the league in assists (4.9 APG). 

The Series

NSU is 10-25 against PSU across program history, but have dropped their last 18 contests to the Gorillas in a streak that dates back to 2013. The RiverHawks have lost all seven home games at the NSU Event Center to the Gorillas.

About Missouri Southern (13-8, 5-4 MIAA)

The Lions enter the week tied with NSU at 5-4 for sixth in the league standings before taking on Arkansas-Fort Smith on Thursday night on the road. They head to the Natural state later in the week looking to end a three-game road losing streak before facing the RiverHawks on Saturday.

MSSU owns the fourth-ranked scoring offense in the MIAA across conference play (70.0 PPG) while tying in seventh in field goal percentage (40.6%) in official league contests. They rank ninth in the league in three-point percentage (31.4%) while surrendering the highest rate of triples to MIAA opposition (36.8%). The defense further ranks 13th in the league in opposing field goal percentage (43.4%) inside of conference play and 11th in points allowed (70.4 PPG). The Lions have been tricky for league opponents to preserve the basketball against, sitting at the top of the MIAA ladder in turnover margin (4.67). 

Ryan Franklin (13.1 PPG, 7.4 RPG) leads the team in both scoring and rebounding, tying for eighth among MIAA individuals in the latter. Kaitlin Hunnicut (11.8 PPG) is the top scoring guard, tying for ninth in the MIAA in three-point field goals per game (1.7). Kennady Roach (6.5 PPG, 38.3 3PT%, 85.7 FT%) scored 21 points against the RiverHawks in the most recent meeting between the teams on Dec. 17 and is the most efficient three-point shooter across the rotation.

The Series

NSU is 12-21 all-time against Missouri Southern, dropping the last seven in the series. Their last win against the Lions took place on Jan. 17, 2019 in Tahlequah. The RiverHawks are 7-6 at home against the Lions, but have lost the last three.

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.)