The Northeastern State basketball teams travel to Bolivar, Mo., on Saturday for MIAA games against Southwest Baptist. The women's game will tip off at 5:30 p.m. with the men to follow at 7:30.



Women's game preview

NSU will face a Bearcat team that has been very tough to beat at Meyer Sports Center. Southwest Baptist is 5-1 at home, and that lone loss was Tuesday against Emporia State.

"I have no doubt that they'll be ready to play," NSU coach Randy Gipson said. "And they'll play really hard on their home floor."

NSU enters the game 8-5 overall and 3-2 in league play. Southwest Baptist is 6-7 and 1-4.

Despite the sub-.500 record, Southwest Baptist has yet to be blown out in a game this season. And Gipson knows that.

"Most of their losses have been close-call games," he said. "They have been very competitive."

Leading Southwest Baptist in scoring this season has been Jacqui Zelenka, who is recording 12 points and 9.4 rebounds per game. Chasity Prince (11.2) and Brittney Dukes (10.3) are also have scoring averages in double figures.

"They are a very balanced team," Gipson said. "They can score from inside and outside. They also have a couple of post players who can step out and shoot it."



Probable starters

NSU

F 24 Sarah Green 5-9 Sr-3L 7.5 ppg, 5.2 rpg Tulsa, Okla.

F 44 Carrington Fox 5-11 Jr-2L 5.3 ppg, 4.8 rpg Tulsa, Okla.

G 04 Fontana Tate 5-5 So-1L 5.1 ppg, 2.6 rpg Muldrow, Okla.

G 10 Taylor Lewis 5-7 Sr-3L 15.2 ppg, 2.5 rpg Broken Arrow, Okla.

G 12 Tosha Tyler 5-7 Sr-3L 12.0 ppg, 3.2 rpg Vinita, Okla.

SW Baptist

F 14 Jacqui Zelenka 6-0 Jr. 12.0 ppg, 9.4 rpg Mackay, Australia

F 44 Chasity Prince 5-11 Sr. 11.2 ppg, 5.8 rpg Columbia, Mo.

G 01 Leann Lansdown 5-6 Fr. 5.4 ppg, 2.6 rpg Seymour, Mo.

G 15 Ashlee Pitts 5-7 So. 5.5 ppg, 4.2 rpg Broken Arrow, Okla.

G 25 Brittney Dukes 5-8 Sr. 10.3 ppg, 2.5 apg Bossier City, La.





Men's game preview

NSU heads into its game against Southwest Baptist having lost its last two MIAA games.

So, should there be any added importance on beating the Bearcats to avoid a prolonged losing streak?

"Every game is important," NSU coach Larry Gipson said. "Every game from this point on will be difficult. It'll come down to who's ready to play every night."

The RiverHawks (10-3, 3-2) are currently fifth in the MIAA standings, and to move up, a win over Southwest Baptist (4-9, 2-3) is imperative.

The Bearcats will feature an offensive attack led by Broken Arrow native, Damion Hooks. The junior forward is putting up 11.1 points per game.

"Historically, they shoot a lot of 3s," Gipson said of Southwest Baptist. "They rely on changing defense."

That's been the common theme against NSU this season, especially with teams reverting to zone defenses when they need stops against the RiverHawks.

"That seems to be a common strategy against us," Gipson said. "We have to be patient with more ball reversals, but we still need to be aggressive and get the ball inside. We also have to get more high-low situations and dump the ball in close to the basket."



Probable Starters

NSU

F 10 Landon DeMasters 6-4, 200 So-RS 7.1 ppg, 3.2 rpg Van Alstyne, Texas

F 15 Marcus Sheppard 6-4, 205 Jr-TR 6.2 ppg, 3.7 rpg Vivian, La.

F 21 Jermaine Bransford 6-7, 225 Sr-1L 15.7 ppg, 9.5 rpg Sand Springs, Okla.

G 03 Bryton Hobbs 6-0, 170 Jr-TR 16.8 ppg, 5.1 apg St. Louis, Mo.

G 20 Ethan Anderson 6-3, 205 Sr-3L 11.7 ppg, 4.4 rpg Cleburne, Texas

Southwest Baptist

F 01 Damion Hooks 6-6, 205 Jr. 11.1 ppg, 3.4 rpg Broken Arrow, Okla.

F 30 Jayon’e Troutman 6-5, 175 Fr. 5.0 ppg, 2.7 rpg Houston, Texas

G 03 Preston Guiot 5-11, 185 So. 11.7 ppg, 5.0 apg Bolivar, Mo.

G 13 Gilbert Gyamfi 6-2, 200 Jr. 9.7 ppg, 3.8 rpg Brampton, Ontario

G 14 Rashaad Brown-Peterson 6-1, 210 Jr. 8.2 ppg, 2.9 rpg Milwaukee, Wisc.