RiverHawks Battle Arch-Rival UCO Monday Night in Edmond

TAHLEQUAH, Okla. -- Northeastern State sitting atop the Lone Star Conference North Division will seek to remain there Monday night when the RiverHawks travel to Edmond to battle arch-rival Central Oklahoma at Hamilton Field House. Tip-off is 6 p.m.

The RiverHawks are riding a five-game winning streak and have won 12 of their last 14 games, will take a 16-4 season record and 5-0 LSC North Division mark into Hamilton Field House. The RiverHawks are coming off a hard-fought 75-67 win over Texas Woman's University on Wednesday night.

Texas Woman's defeated Texas A&M-Commerce 106-76 Saturday night and are 6-1 in the North Division.

The Bronchos are 13-5 for the year and 4-1 in division play after defeating Texas A&M-Commerce on Wednesday 73-55. The Bronchos have won four straight and 9 of their last 11 games.

Cristina Yarbrough, 5-7 senior guard, who averages 10.3 points, scored five of her team-high 16 points in the opening minutes of the second half against Texas A&M-Commerce to spark a 15-2 run to give UCO the win.

It will be the seventh meeting between Northeastern State head coach Randy Gipson and UCO head coach Guy Hardaker, who is in his fourth season. Hardaker leads Gipson 4-2 in head-to-head battles. The Broncos swept the RiverHawks last season 77-66 and 56-51. The RiverHawks lead the overall series between the two schools 24-17.

UCO which is averaging 74.4 points a game, fourth in the LSC, is led in scoring by Ashley Beckley, 5-11 junior forward, with a 14.2 average and is shooting 46.8 from the field. Jordan Stark, 5-11 junior guard, is scoring 12.6 points an outing and is the Bronchos top 3-point shooter at 39.0 percent from the field.

Averaging 66.2 points on offense and allowing opponents only 55 points a game, tops in the LSC North Division, the RiverHawks depend on tenacious defensive play which often results in offensive points.

Jasmine Webb, 5-11 junior post, leads the RiverHawks in scoring with a 10.9 average. She is also Northeastern State's leading rebounder with 5.6 boards per game. Webb is the only NSU player to score in double figures.

Alix Perkins, 5-8 sophomore guard, who was the LSC North Division Freshman of the Year last season, follows Webb in the scoring with a 9.6 average. Cristy Nitz, 5-11 sophomore forward, who led the RiverHawks' scoring in the win over Texas Woman's with 18 points, is averaging 8.9 points.

Jessica White, 5-9 senior guard, is scoring 7.6 points, followed by Megan Fraley, 5-5 junior guard, a transfer from Northeastern A&M, is scoring six points a game, with Kendra Dean, 5-10 sophomore forward averaging 5.9 points.

The RiverHawks following the UCO game, will return to Jack Dobbins Field House Wednesday to play Texas A&M-Commerce in a Lone Star Conference North Division game. Tip-off is 6 p.m.