NSU men still looking for first win

By TRAVIS METCALF

TAHLEQUAH DAILY PRESS — The NSU men’s basketball team has struggled to start the year with an overtime loss to Rogers State and two losses to a ranked Arkansas Tech team as well as a road loss to Missouri Southern, starting the year off at 0-4.

“Nobody would want to be 0-4, so from that standpoint, I’m disappointed,” NSU coach Larry Gipson said. “I’m more disappointed in how we’ve played.

The RiverHawks have faced some adversity this year, losing senior forward Tarod Sanders due to a separated shoulder, junior guard Kenny McKinney due to a broken leg and junior forward Tulio Cobos, a transfer from Northeastern Oklahoma A&M; who hasn’t been able to gain NCAA eligibility. Still, Gipson said that’s no excuse for his team’s play.

“That record is usually a by-product of playing well and playing poorly,” Gipson said. “Though you can play well and lose and you can play poorly and win, we haven’t been playing people where you can play mediocre and win. We have had trouble sustaining good basketball for good periods of time.”

The RiverHawks hope to get in the win column tonight when NSU plays Eastern New Mexico at 8 in Portales, N.M. Gipson said that, more importantly than anything else, a win would give his team confidence.

“I think we need to get consistent play and we need to gain some confidence,” Gipson said. “This road trip will also help in team cohesion. Sometimes when you go on a road trip, the team camaraderie gets closer.”

The greyhounds are 2-3 on the season after getting a last-second win over New Mexico Highlands, 66-65.

Eastern New Mexico has won two straight after starting the year 0-3. Gipson said he sees a lot of his own team in Eastern New Mexico.

“Eastern New Mexico is a team similar to us,” Gipson said. “They’ve had some struggles this year”

In all four of the RiverHawks games this year, NSU has started the game well including Monday’s game against Arkansas Tech in which NSU raced out to a 10-2 lead before Tech rallied and eventually won, 75-53. NSU also held as large as a 15 point lead in an overtime loss to Rogers State on Nov. 20.

“What the other teams have done is usually increase the defensive pressure and we haven’t been able to go to our bench to get a big lift,” Gipson said. “We need people to come off the bench and immediately make an impact.”

The RiverHawks will also play at West Texas A&M; on Saturday at 4 p.m. in Canyon Texas. West Texas is 4-1 after edging South Dakota during the West Texas Thanksgiving Classic, 77-76, on Saturday.

The RiverHawks will return to Jack Dobbins Field House on Dec. 10 when NSU entertains Ouachita Baptist. Game time is set for 7 p.m.