RiverHawks Entertain Eastern New Mexico
TAHLEQUAH, Okla. - Northeastern State men are winners of five of their last seven games will attempt to make it two in a row Saturday afternoon at Jack Dobbins Field House.
The RiverHawks are fresh off a 69-62 victory over Lone Star Conference South Division member West Texas A&M, entertains Eastern New Mexico at 4 p.m. Its Dollar Day and fans will be admitted for $1 and with hot dogs priced at $1.
Eastern New Mexico enters the NSU contest with a 5-9 record after falling to the University of Central Oklahoma 105-76 at Edmond on Thursday night. Eastern New Mexico has lost five consecutive games.
The Greyhounds held a 19-16 lead over the high powered Bronchos midway the first half before UCO took control of the game.
"Eastern New Mexico has a very good inside player in Tyler Jefferson," said Northeastern State head coach Larry Gipson. "They are very athletic and well coached (Andrew Helton, first season). "
Ironically, Helton, who was an assistant at South Alabama, before moving to Eastern New Mexico, is from the same hometown of NSU coaches Larry and Randy Gipson, Marion, Ohio. "That's something to have three coaches from the same hometown in this league," said Gipson. "I did not know him when I was in Marion, he's younger than I am. He was in high school when I was at Toledo coaching. But he came to our camp (Toledo University) a couple of times," said Gipson.
Northeastern State is 7-5 after its impressive win over the Buffaloes on Thursday night led by trio of double-figure scoring of Jason Jones, Dominique Gaines and Antoine Branch. Jones posted his fourth double-double of the year with 19 points and 10 rebounds.
Gaines had his best overall performance of the season with 18 points, which included a thunderous slam dunk midway the second half. Branch continues his steady play with 10 points.
Jones, 6-7 post, is NSU's leading point producer at 16.9 and top rebounder at 9.3 boards a contest. Gaines, 5-10 guard, is averaging 15 points a game and Branch, 6-2 guard, is scoring at 11.3 a clip, with Marlon Burnett, 6-2 guard, averaging 13.3 points.
The Greyhounds are led in scoring by Tyler Jefferson, 6-6 junior forward from Ft. Worth, a transfer from Tyler Junior College. Jefferson is shooting .594 from the field. Jefferson is the only Greyhound to be shooting in double figures. Jefferson is Eastern New Mexico's leading rebounder averaging 6.8 caroms a game.
Reggie Nelson, 6-foot junior guard, also a transfer from Tyler Junior College and Jimmie Marshall, 5-11 senior guard, are averaging 8.8 points a contest. Victor Reed, 6-4 junior guard/forward, a transfer from Cochise Community College, is averaging 8.7 points a game.
Eastern New Mexico is scoring 67.7 points on offense while giving up 74.9 points to the opposition. Northeastern on the other hand, the No. 2 defensive club in the Lone Star Conference and the fourth best defensive squad among Division II schools, is allowing opponents only 58.5 points. Offensively the RiverHawks are scoring at a 67.1 clip.
Following the Eastern New Mexico clash, the RiverHawks will step out of LSC action to battle Rhema Bible College at 7 p.m. at Jack Dobbins Field House. Northeastern State head coach Larry Gipson will be honored before the game for winning his 500th collegiate basketball game earlier this season.
