Season Opening Win Hands Gipson 500th

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. --- Taylor Lewis scored a game-high 19 points and Jasmine Webb added a double-double 18 points and 12 rebounds to lift No. 22-ranked Northeastern State to a 52-39 win over 16th-rated Drury on Saturday.

Head coach Randy Gipson picked up his 500th coaching victory as the RiverHawks improved to 1-0. Drury fell to 0-1.

Northeastern State's defense limited the Panthers to a dismal 27.5 percent shooting on the day as Drury managed just 14-of-51 shots from the floor. The RiverHawks were 20-of-45 (.444) and knocked down 8-of-24 treys, five of those coming in the final half of action.

Lewis, a sophomore guard, scored 13 of her points in the first half, on five-of-nine shooting, to help Northeastern State build a 25-16 advantage. Drury opened the game with their only 3-point basket of the first half (on five tries) to lead 3-0.

The RiverHawks turned a 9-8 deficit into a 17-9 lead with a spirited rally that covered nearly five mintues. Jasmine Wright and Sarah Green had baskets and Lewis scored five points in the stretch that gave Northeastern State the lead for good.

Tosha Tyler's trey and Webb's fastbreak bucket to start the final half gave the RiverHawks a 30-16 cushion. The Panthers got no closer than six, 34-28, the rest of the way, and Cristy Nitz gave her team its largest lead of the game (52-35) with a pair of free throws with 3:08 remaining.

The win was Northeastern State's second in as many years over the Panthers. Drury, ranked No. 16 in the ESPN/WBCA poll and 15th in the Women's NCAA Division II Bulletin rankings, was led by Sara Jane Plemmons' 10 points.

The RiverHawks, ranked No. 22 in the ESPN/WBCA poll and 11th by Division II Bulletin, will host St. Mary's at 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 18.  Northeastern State has only three home games in the first semester --- Nov. 18, Dec. 11 and Dec. 13.