TAHLEQUAH – Northeastern State leaned on a balanced offensive attack and a strong defensive effort to secure a 68-61 victory over Missouri Southern State on Saturday at the NSU Event Center.

The RiverHawks (10-10, 6-5 Mid-America Intercollegiate) overcame a sluggish start, using a late surge to pull away from the Lions (14-9, 6-5 MIAA). Northeastern State outscored Missouri Southern 20-17 in the final quarter to seal the win.

Brennan Kirchhoff led NSU with a season-high 13 points on 4-of-6 shooting, and Alex Hill matched her with 13 points, converting all six of her free-throw attempts. The RiverHawks' bench contributed 27 points, providing a key spark throughout the contest.

Defensively, NSU caused problems for Missouri Southern, forcing 19 turnovers and picking up 11 steals. The RiverHawks also dominated the glass, outrebounding the Lions 44-34, with Courtney Lee grabbing a team-high nine rebounds before fouling out in the final minutes.

Missouri Southern (14-9, 6-5 Mid-America Intercollegiate) never led in the second half and was paced by Ryan Franklin's 12 points, seven rebounds, and four blocks. Reese Webb added a double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds, but the Lions struggled to find an offensive rhythm, shooting just 33.3% (20-of-60) from the field.

The game saw six ties and seven lead changes, with both teams struggling to gain separation until Northeastern State's late push. The RiverHawks found success in transition, scoring 21 fast-break points compared to Missouri Southern's seven.

With the win, Northeastern State moves to .500 on the season and snapped an eight-game skid to Missouri Southern. The RiverHawks will hit the road to face Fort Hays on Thursday night.