TAHLEQUAH – The Northeastern State men's basketball team opens the New Year at home in The Nest on Saturday, hosting MIAA foe Pittsburg State at 3:30 p.m. Saturday's matchup will be NSU's lone home contest over the next two weeks. The RiverHawks are 8-4 overall and 1-2 in conference play, while they sit at 8-2 in matchups contested inside the NSU Event Center.

Through 12 games, Xavier Glenn is tied for fifth in the MIAA in scoring (18.8 points per game) and is averaging 24.7 PPG across his last three. Nehemiah Weber is second on the team in scoring (12.8 PPG) and most recently dropped 15 against Missouri Southern on Dec. 21, including the game-winning basket in overtime. Ethan Blackmon ranks second in the association in rebounds per game (8.7) and recorded his third double-double of the season against Missouri Southern (26 points, 10 rebounds).

AJ Reed Jr. has scored at least 16 points in two of his last three, also tallying 17 rebounds and 12 assists across that span. True freshman Dylan Tea has reached double figures in three straight and scored a season-high of 15 points against MSSU to wrap the 2025 side of the season.

A Quick Look Back
Northeastern State earned their fourth straight win across series history against Missouri Southern with a 119-117 overtime victory against the Lions on Dec. 21. While Xavier Glenn led the team with 29 points across 42 minutes, he was not the only player to catch the scoring bug. Six players reached double figures across an offensive performance that saw the RiverHawks connect on 43-of-81 (53.1%) tries.

Regulation saw the teams finish even with 101 points. A 5-0 run to start the extra frame from the Lions gave the visitors the early edge, but NSU would respond with a 9-0 burst of their own. MSSU would catch back up and force the contest to a tie at 117 before Weber's buzzer-beater ended another classic against one of NSU's local MIAA foes.

About Pittsburg State
The Gorillas (8-5, 2-1 MIAA) head into Saturday off a 72-58 loss to #11 Arkansas-Fort Smith in Arkansas. It marked their first league blemish after a pair of wins in December at home over Central Oklahoma (77-63) and Rogers State (86-64). NSU sits as the middle opponent of a three-date road trip that concludes on Tuesday at Missouri Southern. 

Connor Rogers is the conference's second-leading scorer, averaging 20.6 PPG through his first 13 games with the program. Mason English is the only other PSU player to average double figures (12.5 PPG), though three other players average at least 9.1 PPG. PSU ranks 10th in the MIAA in scoring (78.8 PPG) and are tied for eighth in rebounding (36.2 RPG). They are fifth in the conference in points allowed per game (68.3) and are eighth in opposing field goal percentage (43.5%). 

The Series: Northeastern State is 25-55 against Pittsburg State in a series that dates back to 1927. The RiverHawks have won the last two and five of the last six. NSU owned a regular season series sweep over PSU last season, though the victories occurred by a combined nine points.

Up Next
The RiverHawks will travel to Central Oklahoma on Jan. 7, as MIAA play continues through the remainder of the regular season.