Women's Basketball | 2/3/2012 5:54:00 PM
SUPER SATURDAY
The #22 Lady Hornets take on #10 Northeastern State in the third top 20 match up of the season in White Auditorium. ESU is 6-4 against Top 10 teams in White Auditorium.
LAST TIME OUT
The #22 Lady Hornets overcame a 15 point first half deficit but were denied on a last second attempt for the win in a 63-62 loss at Central Missouri. ESU trailed 28-13 with 4:12 left in the half and the Jennies led 40-34 with 13:29 left when ESU went on an 8-2 run to tie the game at 42 with 11:14 left. There were seven ties and four lead changes over the final ten minutes. ESU took a three point lead at 60-57 with 2:05 left on Heather Robben's old fashioned three point play. UCM took a 63-60 lead when Shaquanda Wiggins hit a free throw with 30.2 seconds left. Robben hit two free throws with 12.9 left to pull ESU within one. Renae Shippy missed two free throws with 9.1 left. Jocelyn Cummings drove the lane and dished to Balcom, whose shot missed as time expired. Balcom led ESU with 19 points and nine rebounds. She was joined in double figures by Quick with 12 points and Robben with 11 points.
THE COACHES
Jory Collins is 34-14 in his second year as the head coach of the Lady Hornets and is 4-4 vs. Top 25 teams. This is his 11th season on the Lady Hornet coaching staff and ESU has advanced to the NCAA tournament in eight of his ten previous seasons. He is 1-0 against Northeastern State.
Randy Gipson is 252-118 in his 13th year as the coach at Northeastern State. He is 0-2 against ESU.
SCOUTING THE RIVERHAWKS
Northeastern State is 18-2 on the year and are 11-1 away from home this year. They are second in the nation in turnover margin and are ranked third nationally in scoring defense. They have only given up 60 points or more twice this year, both times in their losses to ESU and Central Oklahoma. Taylor Lewis is the leading scorer for the Riverhawks at 11.2 points per game while Sarah Green is the top rebounder at 5.8 boards per game.
THE SERIES
ESU leads the all-time series 4-1 and this is the first meeting in White Auditorium since Nov. 24, 1992. The Lady Hornets defeated the Riverhawks in the 2010 NCAA South Central Regional Championship game in Canyon, Texas on the way to their first NCAA Division II National Championship.
LAST TIME VS. NORTHEASTERN ST.
The Lady Hornets shot .500 from the field and a blistering .667 from behind the three-point line in a 60-54 win over #13 Northeastern State in Tahlequah, Okla. Rachel Hanf led ESU with 17 points, five rebounds, four assists and two steals. She was six of eight from the field including a perfect five of five from behind the three-point line. She was joined in double figures by Robben with 15 points and four assists. Quick had a game high ten rebounds and three blocks to go with nine points
UP NEXT
The #22 Lady Hornets continue their homestand with an MIAA game against Southwest Baptis on Wednesday. Tip-off from White Auditorium is set for 5:30 p.m.
