TAHLEQUAH – The Northeastern State men's basketball team ends a three-game road trip this week by facing Arkansas-Fort Smith on Friday at 7:30 p.m. The RiverHawks enter at 9-6 overall and 2-4 inside MIAA play.

Through 15 games, Northeastern State sits in second in the MIAA in scoring (89.0 points per game) and field goal percentage (49.9%). They also possess the league's third-ranked rebounding unit (39.1 rebounds per game) and rank fourth in assists per game (17.0). Xavier Glenn is fourth in the conference in scoring (20.1 PPG), while Ethan Blackmon remains in second in rebounding (8.8 RPG). Blackmon is also tied for seventh among qualified individuals in field goal percentage (53.5%). Defensively, AJ Reed Jr. is tied for seventh in steals per game (1.7).

A Quick Look Back
The RiverHawks saw extra basketball for a third straight game in the form of a 97-93 overtime loss to Central Oklahoma on Jan. 7 inside Hamilton Field House. The Bronchos would edge out the RiverHawks behind six-of-eight shooting and eight made free throws in the extra period. NSU would be absent Glenn and Blackmon in overtime after the duo fouled out in the late minutes of regulation. 

Three days later, Northeastern would rebound to a 96-87 triumph against Rogers State, their first win over the Hillcats in Claremore since 2022. The team would soar to a +14 margin on points in the paint and a +13 differential on fast break points, while Xavier Glenn would register the highest-scoring performance for an NSU player against conference competition since 2023 with a 32-point showing.

About #11 Arkansas-Fort Smith
The Lions (13-2, 4-2 MIAA) would enter last week as one of the last five unbeaten teams at the Division II level before being assessed a pair of losses on the road to Rogers State (73-61) and Central Oklahoma (93-86). They remain unbeaten in home contests, while their 13 wins already surpass last season's total (12) and showcases a remarkable turnaround from a seven-win effort two seasons ago in Fort Smith. 

Kameron Johnson serves as the leading rebounder (7.3 RPG) for the MIAA's top team on the glass (42.3 RPG). The senior forward led the Lions in scoring last month in Tahlequah (18 points). Brandon Scott (12.7 PPG) and Christian Moore (12.1 PPG) each pace the offense across the season. As a unit, the Lions are fourth in scoring (84.8 PPG) in the MIAA and shoot from beyond the arc on 39.2% of total field goal attempts, the fourth-highest rate in the league. They've connected on 37.2% of deep tries, tied for fourth in the association. The Lions defend the three-point shot even better, ranking second in opposing conversion rate (28.0%).

The Series: Through eight meetings, the series is tied at four games. The two teams first met in 1942 in Tahlequah, over 60 years before UAFS would join the NCAA ranks. Successful offensive possessions have not been a rarity for NSU against the Lions lately. The RiverHawks have shot 51.8% (88-of-170) in three encounters during the MIAA era at UAFS.

Up Next
The RiverHawks return home to battle Emporia State on Jan. 22 (7:30 p.m.) and Newman on Jan. 24 (2 p.m.).