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TAHLEQUAH, Okla. – The Northeastern State women's basketball team is set to host No. 2 Emporia State in MIAA play. The RiverHawks (8-8, 4-5 MIAA) will meet the Hornets (14-1, 7-1 MIAA) at 5:30 p.m. Jan. 21 in the NSU Event Center.

Emporia State holds a 4-3 series advantage since the RiverHawks joined the NCAA in 1996-97. The Hornets won the first three meetings, sweeping a home-and-home series in 2011-12 and earning a Sweet 16 victory in 2010. NSU earned the next three victories which included a season sweep in 2012-13 and taking down an ESU team that was undefeated and No. 2-ranked in the first meeting of 2013-14 (59-44). The Hornets won the second meeting last year on Feb. 12, 2014 (80-61). Northeastern State was picked eighth in the preseason MIAA coaches' poll, while ESU was slated 1st.
 

Northeastern State's Probable Starters
F	20	Sara Fountain	5-11	Fr-HS	4.6 ppg, 2.8 rpg	Stilwell, Okla.
F	23	Bria Pierce	5-10	Fr-HS	5.0 ppg, 3.8 rpg	Overland Park, Kan.
G	4	Fontana Tate	5-5	Sr-3L	9.9 ppg, 4.6 rpg	Muldrow, Okla.
G	14	Alexis Hill	5-6	Fr-HS	5.8 ppg, 2.7 rpg	Garland, Texas
G	21	Chelsey Beathard	5-8	Sr-3L	11.2 ppg, 3.6 rpg	Pryor, Okla.
Emporia State's Probable Starters
F	30	Kathryn Flott	6-1	So.	5.3 ppg, 5.3 rpg	Olpe, Kan.
F	35	Merissa Quick	6-3	Sr.	11.6 ppg, 6.9 rpg	Cheney, Kan.
G	2	Kelly Moten	5-8	So.	14.5 ppg, 4.7 rpg	Gary, Ind.
G	24	Addie Lackey	5-9	Fr.	10.7 ppg, 4.2 apg	Hillsboro, Kan.
G	33	Kyrstie Miller	5-10	Fr.	4.7 ppg, 3.1 rpg	Holton, Kan.

 
SCOUTING THE HORNETS
Emporia State is located in Emporia, Kansas and the team competes in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association. The Hornets are 14-1 in the 2014-15 season and have put up a 7-1 record in MIAA play. ESU's lone conference loss was to Central Missouri. In their most recent game, ESU defeated Pittsburg State (65-61). Kelly Moten (14.5 ppg, 4.7 rpg) leads the team in scoring. Merissa Quick (11.6 ppg, 6.9 rpg) and Addie Lackey (10.7 ppg, 3.1 rpg) also average double-figure scoring for the Hornets. Emporia State averages 77.5 points per game and shoots .458 as a team.
 
THE LAST TIME OUT – (RV) FHSU 71, NSU 41
Northeastern State lost 71-41 to Fort Hays State Saturday afternoon inside the Gross Memorial Coliseum. Chelsey Beathard had 16 points to lead NSU. The senior guard was 7-for-12 from the field in 33 minutes. Junior guard Kate Bellamy had 10 rebounds. Bellamy was the first RiverHawk with double-digit rebounds this season since Beathard pulled down 10 on Nov. 15, 2014 against Southeastern Oklahoma State. NSU shot 27.6 percent (16-for-58) from the field, 28.0 percent (7-for-25) from behind the arc and 100 percent (2-for-2) at the line. FHSU shot 38.2 percent (26-for-68) from the field, 23.5 percent (4-for-17) from 3-point range and 78.9 percent (15-for-19) at the charity stripe. Kate Lehman led the Tigers with 18 points and 10 rebounds. Chelsea Mason also had 18 points. The RiverHawks started the game shooting 3-for-6 from the field and led 8-7 before Fort Hays State went on a 25-2 run. The Tigers lead 36-17 at the half. NSU was unable to get closer than 14 points in the second half. Fort Hays State outrebounded the RiverHawks 51-33. The Tigers also held the edge in points in the paint (24-10), assists (14-7) and blocks (6-0). NSU had more turnovers than their opponent (13-7) for the first time since Dec. 18, 2014 against Missouri Western.
 
THE LAST TIME THEY MET – #7 ESU 80, NSU 61
Northeastern State dropped an 80-61 decision to Emporia State Feb. 12, 2014 inside White Auditorium. Forward Mya Walker registered a season-best 20 points as she went 7-for-14 from the field and converted all six free-throw attempts. The performance was just the second time all season a member of the team reached 20 points in a game, with the first being junior guard Fontana Tate recording 23 in NSU's win over Emporia State on Jan. 22. Northeastern State finished 21-for-53 (39.6 percent) from the field, 2-for-11 (18.2 percent) from behind the three-point line and 17-for-19 (89.5 percent) at the free-throw line. The Lady Hornets were 26-for-64 (40.6 percent) overall, 8-for-20 (40 percent) from downtown and 20-for-27 (74.1 percent) at the charity stripe. Merissa Quick finished with a game-high 23 points, Rheanna Egli added 15 and Desiree Wylie contributed 13 for the home team. Egli hit a three-point basket at the 16:07 mark of the first half to give ESU a lead it would not relinquish. Emporia State led 34-27 at halftime and stretched its lead to a game-best 19 points by the end of regulation.
 
MIAA CHAMPIONSHIP IN KC
The 2015 MIAA Women's Basketball Championship is set to take place inside Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Missouri. The top 12 teams in the regular season all qualify for postseason play, with the top four earning byes to Kansas City. The first round will be contested at host sites March 3, with the fifth seed hosting No. 12, the sixth seed hosting No. 11, etc. Those four winners will join the top four seeds in KC March 6-8. Both NSU basketball programs have advanced to the MIAA Championship Quarterfinals in Kansas City in each of their first two years in the league.
 
RIVERHAWKS IN THE NATIONAL POLLS
The NSU women's basketball team has received votes in the USA Today Division II Women's Basketball Top 25 Coaches' Polls three times this season. The RiverHawks picked up 19 votes January 6 and 17 votes on both December 16 and November 25.
 
THE STARTING FIVE
Randy Gipson-coached teams are usually known for consistency at the top of the lineup. The past two years, however, have been much different for Northeastern State. The team utilized 10 different starting lineups last season and has used 11 different lineups in the first 16 games in 2014-15. Fontana Tate leads NSU with 56 career starts, and Chelsey Beathard is second on the squad with 40 starts. Kate Bellamy (31) and Sarah Sagely (14) also own double-digit starts. Sara Fountain (8), Mya Walker (5), Bria Pierce (5), Alexis Hill (4) and Danielle Robertson (1) have also started games for NSU this season.
 
SENIORS AT HOME
Chelsey Beathard and Fontana Tate are the two four-year seniors on the squad this year. They posted a 22-1 record inside Jack Dobbins Field House, and they are currently 13-6 inside the NSU Event Center. The RiverHawks seniors have tallied a 35-7 record at home in their careers.
 
NSU SELECTED 8TH IN MIAA PRESEASON POLLS
The Northeastern State women's basketball team was picked to finish eighth in the MIAA by the league coaches. The RiverHawks earned 83 points and are projected to finish one place higher than their ninth-place effort from a season ago. Emporia State topped the coaches' poll with 160 points total and five first-place votes. Northeastern State finished 11-17 last season and 7-12 in the MIAA. The RiverHawks return their two top scorers in senior guards Fontana Tate (11.2 ppg) and Chelsey Beathard (9.0 ppg).
 
TICKETS REQUIRED FOR ENTRY IN 2014-15
All fans wishing to attend an NSU home basketball contest this season will be required to show a ticket prior to entering the facilities. NSU students and faculty/staff will still be allowed free admittance, but NSU ID's will no longer be accepted as a form of entry. Tickets can be purchased at NSU's ticketing Web site, goriverhawkstickets.com. NSU students and faculty/staff can access goriverhawkstickets.com and secure their free tickets (either printable or downloaded to your smart phone) through their goNSU accounts. For questions regarding ticket options, please contact Brynn Hamner at 918.444.3901.
 
 
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