RiverHawks Go For North Division Title Against UCO

TAHLEQUAH, Okla. - It's a battle for first place in the Lone Star Conference North Division when Northeastern State and Central Oklahoma collide at Jack Dobbins Field House Saturday at 2 p.m.

The RiverHawks and Bronchos enter the NSU Athletics Hall of Fame Day and Pack the House Pink game deadlocked at 9-1 atop the LSC North Division standings. Northeastern State ranked No. 4 in the South Central Region is 21-5 overall while the Bronchos, No. 7 in the region, is 18-5 overall.

The RiverHawks are coming off a 66-52 win over Texas Woman's University on Wednesday , while the Bronchos rolled over Texas A&M-Commerce in Edmond 92-59. The RiverHawks have won five straight and 11 of their last 12 games. The Bronchos have won nine straight.

"This is a game for the outright lead and I know our players are up for this one," said Northeastern State head coach Randy Gipson. "I know we will be ready and I know UCO will be also. This game will be a hard fought and high quality women's basketball game.

"We have put ourselves in the position we want to be. We are coming down the stretch here playing for the division championship," said Gipson.

In the first meeting Central Oklahoma took a 77-74 win at Edmond in which Jordan Stark led the UCO scoring with 19 points followed by Ashley Beckley and Cristina Yarbrough with 15 points each.

Jasmine Wright led NSU's scoring with 15 points, a season high for the sophomore against the Bronchos. Jasmine Webb scored 13 points and pulled down 9 rebounds just missing a double-double. Cristy Nitz followed with 11 and Jessica White 10.

The Bronchos are the fourth leading offensive team in the LSC averaging 76 points a game, but will be going against the No. 2 defensive team in the conference in the RiverHawks, allowing opponents just 55 points a game. Offensively the RiverHawks are scoring 68 points a game ninth in the LSC.

Beckley leads the UCO scoring, averaging 15 points a game, with Stark contributing 13 points and averaging 7 rebounds to lead UCO.

Webb continues to pace the RiverHawks scoring and rebounding, averaging 11.6 points and 6 rebounds a game. Nitz is scoring 9 points a contest followed by Alix Perkins at 8.4, White at 7.7, Megan Fraley 6.7 and Kendra Dean 6.3 points.

Following the UCO clash the RiverHawks have only two games remaining, playing Cameron Thursday on Senior night at Dobbins Field House followed by a road game at Southwestern State before enter the Lone Star Conference Tournament in Bartlesville beginning on March 3.