RiverHawks Host Kingsville Thursday

TAHLEQUAH --- Northeastern State men play the second game in a three-game homestand Thursday night when the RiverHawks play host to Lone Star Conference South Division member Texas A&M-Kingsville.

It will be the RiverHawks second LSC crossover game of the season, and first at Jack Dobbins Field House. Tip-off is 8 p.m.

The RiverHawks enter the Javelinas’ clash with a 3-3 record following a smashing of Hillsdale Baptist College 99-37 on Tuesday night.

Northeastern State head coach Larry Gipson will be going after his 500th collegiate career coaching victory when the RiverHawks take the court. Gipson in 27 seasons as a college head coach has posted a 499-295 record. Gipson in his 13th season at Northeastern State is currently 214-135 as head coach of the RiverHawks.

However, the task of picking up 500th victory won’t be easy for the RiverHawks as the Javelinas enter the contest with a 6-1 record, fresh off a 68-51 victory over Texas A&M-International.

“Kingsville is a very athletic and explosive team.” said Gipson. “They switch their defenses between a very good match up zone and a hard pressure man-to-man. They are very comfortable at playing two temps.

”They will push it at us and attack and then they are comfortable at half court. They are going to be a challenge,” said Gipson.

Texas A&M-Kingsville enters the game averaging 68.4 points and giving up just 60.6 per game. The Javelinas use a guard oriented offensive attack led in scoring by Royce Gaye, 6-3 senior guard, a transfer from Morehead State. Gaye averages 13.3 points.

Flavio Milam, 6-5 senior forward is also averaging 13.3 points and is the Javelnas top rebounder, pulling down 7.4 boards per game. Milam scored 14 in the A&M- International win.
Antwain Mullins, 5-9 junior guard, a transfer from Richland College, is shooting at a 12.1 average per game. Mullins led the Javelinas in scoring with 15 points in the game against Texas A&M-International.

The third starting quard is Naquawn Lee, 6-1 senior, who is averaging 8.6. Lee rolled in 14 points in the Javelinas victory over A&M-International.

The fifth starter is 6-7 senior forward Ryan Wallace, who is averaging seven points a game and 5.3 rebounds.

The RiverHawks points are coming from the triple-threat scoring of Marlon Burnett (15.2), Jason Jones (14.0) and Antoine Branch (11.8). NSU is averaging 65.5 points offensively and allowing the opposition just 51.7, tops in the Lone Star Conference.

Gipson said concerning the possibility of hitting the magic 500 coaching victory, “It just means I’ve been lucky. I’ve been doing this a long time and I’ve been fortunate to have been coaching some good young men.

“I’ve had some very good assistants and been able to hang around this business a very long time,” said Gipson.