TAHLEQUAH, Okla. — The Northeastern State women's basketball team will tip off its 2026-27 campaign with an exhibition game at Kansas on Thursday at 6:30 p.m. inside Allen Fieldhouse.

Media Coverage
The game will be streamed on ESPN+ for subscribers. Radio coverage will be presented on the RiverHawks Radio Network with the "Voice of the RiverHawks" Orry Phillips on the call. Listeners can tune in on Lakes Country 102.1 in Tahlequah and Muskogee and on ESPN 99.9 FM/1550 AM in Tulsa.

About the Matchup
Thursday's game will be the fifth exhibition against an NCAA Division I opponent during the Keith Ferguson era and the second against a power-conference opponent, following a matchup with Arkansas in 2024. It also marks NSU's first exhibition against a Big 12 program since the RiverHawks met Oklahoma State in Stillwater in 2022.

About the RiverHawks
Northeastern State was picked ninth in the MIAA Coaches Poll and eighth in the Media Poll after finishing 17-12 overall and 9-10 in league play last season. It marked NSU's first winning season since the 2012-13 campaign.

The RiverHawks return All-MIAA Third Team selection McKenzie Smith, who led the team in scoring (12.1 points per game) and was second in rebounding (5.1 rebounds per game). During the 2025-26 season, her first in Tahlequah, Smith reached double figures 19 times. Thursday's matchup in Lawrence will be a return to Allen Fieldhouse for Smith, who played at KU for two seasons and appeared in six games as a freshman. 

Deyanna Douglas is back after finishing second behind Smith in scoring (10.2 PPG) and pacing the RiverHawks on the glass (5.2 RPG). Douglas reached double figures in 14 games and landed a career-high 24 points in three games. The Midwest City native also led the team with 23 blocks. Douglas enters her junior season with 45 starts through two seasons, in addition to 198 made field goals and 269 career rebounds, including 109 on the offensive glass.

Reese Shirey is also back after starting in all 29 games, the only NSU player to do so. Shirey led the team in assists (2.7 per game) and ranked among NSU's most efficient three-point shooters (42.5%). Gabrielle Tilley returns after averaging 9.3 PPG as a key contributor off the bench. Across the season, Tilley reached double figures 12 times and had a season high of 21 points against Newman on Jan. 23. Tilley also led the MIAA in free throw percentage, making 96 of 108 attempts (88.9%).

The rest of the roster consists of six true freshmen, including four from Oklahoma, in addition to four transfers with playing experience at four-year institutions.

About the Jayhawks
Kansas went 22-14 last season and 8-10 in Big 12 play. The Jayhawks earned a WBIT berth, advancing to the semifinals before being knocked off by top-seeded BYU. The team was picked fifth in the Monster Energy Big 12 Women's Basketball Preseason Coaches' Poll. Jaliya Davis and S'Mya Nichols were All-Big 12 Preseason Team selections, with Nichols being one of four unanimous picks.

Nichols enters her senior season as a two-time WBCA All-America Honorable Mention honoree and the program's all-time leader in free throws made (627). She is third in career free throw percentage (83.8%) and three-point percentage (40.5%) and also sits seventh in program history with 397 assists and 10th with 1,693 points. Last season, Nichols averaged 17.4 points per game alongside 4.6 assists per game and led the nation with 243 made free throws on 287 attempts (84.7%).

Davis was unanimously named Big 12 Freshman of the Year after averaging 19.8 points and 6.5 rebounds per game while earning WBCA All-America Honorable Mention honors. Davis reached or exceeded 20 points scored in 15 games, sixth-most in program history and third-most in Big 12 history by a true freshman.

The Jayhawks also return Regan Williams, who finished third on the team in scoring at 8.9 points per game, and Libby Fandel, who started 24 of 36 games.