RiverHawks Fight Off Southeastern

DURANT, Okla. -   Northeastern State hung on for dear life and escaped Bloomer Sullivan Arena with a 61-60  Lone Star Conference North Division victory over Southeastern State Wednesday night.

The RiverHawks are now 16-7 overall and 7-1 in the North Division as the Savage Storm falls to 9-14 and 6-5. It was NSU's second win over the Savage Storm this season as the RiverHawks took a 45-40 win in Tahlequah on January 20.

The River Hawks held a 21-point lead 51-30 with 11:35 left in the game, but it was Jesse Scroggins' free throw with 23 seconds left that got the win for the RiverHawks.

Southeastern State held the RiverHawks scoreless for over seven minutes of the final 10 minutes of play before the Savage Storm tied the game  at 60-all on a Chris Rousell's  trey with 50 seconds remaiing.

The RiverHawks got the ball with 33 seconds left and Jason Jones missed a 5-foot jumper and Scroggins rebounded the missed attempt and was fouled by  Darrell Hicks.

Scoggins then went to the line where he missed his first of two free throws. Scroggins then hit the second to give Northeastern State a 61-60 lead.

Southeastern State took the ball with 19 seconds left and Hicks, who finished with 20 points leading the Savage Storm's scoring, missed a shot from the 12-foot range with 1.5 seconds remaining. NSU then inbounded the ball to run out the clock.

Dominique Gaines led NSU with a double-double scoring 19 points and pulling down 11 rebounds, and Jones also had a double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds. Antoine Branch poured in 15 points, all in the first half.

NSU was 24-of 53 from the field and 10-of-26 from behind the arc. Southeastern was 23-of-57 and 7-of-18 on  3-point attempts.

Northeastern State put on a 3-point shooting show the first 20 minutes of the game en route to a 33-21 lead at the half.

The RiverHawks drained 7-of-16 from behind the arc with Branch canning 5-of-8 long range shots for 15 first half points. NSU shot 46 percent from the field (13-of-28) and held the Savage Storm to a 36 percent mark in the half, while out rebounding the Storm 19-13. Gaines led the rebounding for NSU with 6 boards while also scoring 9 points.

The  RiverHawks streaked to an 11-2 lead to open the game with back-to-back treys by Branch and another 3-pointer by Gaines. Northeastern State held its largest lead of the first half, 13 points, and 28-15 with 4:10 remaining in the half when Jesse Scroggins drained a 3-pointer from the right wing.

Southeastern State never led in the opening 20 minutes, but did manage to tie the RiverHawks and that came in the opening minutes of play at 2-2.

The RiverHawks will next meet East Central University on Saturday afternoon at Jack Dobbins Field House at 4 p.m. in a Lone Star Conference clash.