By NSU Media Service

AMARILLO, Texas – Northeastern State begins its quest for the NCAA Division II Women’s National Championship Friday in the opening round of the South Central Regional against Central Oklahoma on the campus of West Texas A&M.

The RiverHawks (26-6)  and Bronchos (22-7) will meet for the third time this season, with each team winning on its home floor. Tip-off is set for noon at the First United Bank Center.

Northeastern State senior Jessica White, of Jenks, is making her first venture into an NCAA National Tournament and she wants that coveted Division II National championship ring on her finger, when she leaves the Tahlequah campus this spring.

“This means a lot to me because it’s my first NCAA Tournament since I’ve been here,” said White. “My freshman year  we didn’t make the playoffs, as a sophomore I left that season bitter because we should have been in the regionals.

“Last year we had a good run with a lot of ups and downs, but didn’t leave the West Texas game on a good note.  But, this year it’s a great opportunity going into the tournament as a three seed. This just means the world to me and having the opportunity to go and showcase how good our team is and see how far we can go. I believe we can go very far. It just means a lot.”

The trek to the Elite Eight in St. Joseph, Mo., on March 23, won’t be easy for the RiverHawks as three of the eight teams (Washburn No. 7, West Texas A&M No. 9, Emporia State No. 15) in the South Central Regional are ranked among the top 25 in the latest Women’s Basketball Coaches Association poll. The RiverHawks just missed its first top 25-ranking ever, currently No. 27.

But step No. 1 to the Elite Eight is Central Oklahoma today.

“We know it’s going to be a dogfight,” said White, who was named to the Lone Star Conference All-Tournament team last week. ”They are going to come in and play very hard. Everyone is fighting for another game. It’s going to be a very tough physical game.  I’m also very confident in my team and believe in my team.”

Northeastern State head coach Randy Gipson is also aware that the opening round with UCO is going to be a battle, but is counting on the senior leadership play of White and Sarah Millar. ”I’ve been real pleased with the play of Jessica,” said Gipson. “I’ve talked the last couple of weeks about the good senior leadership that we gotten. Both Jessica and Sarah stepped up and played very hard and very well in the conference tournament.

“And these are two seniors that don’t want their season to end. I think they are going to play that way in the regional.”

Turning his thoughts to archrival Central Oklahoma, Gipson said, “Anytime we play UCO it’s an important game and no more so than this one. Besides being a neighborhood rivalry, it obviously has implications in the region tournament. It’s a team that we know well.

“Both teams know each other’s schemes and personnel very well. It’s going to be the team that can go out and put 40 minutes together the best, which will come out on top. I expect it will be a very intense game and hard fought game on both sides.”

Gipson said the outcome of the game will be which squad makes the fewest mistakes and turnovers over the course of the 40 minutes.

“That’s the big thing with them (UCO) is they have had their best games when they force turnovers with their opposition,” Gipson said. “Certainly for us we have to manage the ball well and keep the turnovers to a minimum.

“If we can do that and run our offense,  then the shooting percentage generally takes care of itself.  But every possession this time of the year is huge. That’s one thing that everybody has to understand. It takes a really mature approach to play college basketball in March. You can’t be careless with the ball. That will be a big key.”