HORNETS ROLL TO EMOTIONAL SENIOR NIGHT VICTORY OVER NORTHEASTERN STATE

February 24, 2021-Playing in one of the more emotional Senior Nights in White Auditorium history, Emporia State put six players in double figures in a 97-72 win over Northeastern State.
 
The emotions started earlier in the week when grad transfer guard Austin Downing found out his grandfather had passed away unexpectedly on Monday morning.  Chic Downing, an All-American basketball player at Benedictine College, multiple time state champion coach at Atchinson HS and member of the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame, was like a father figure to Austin growing up.  Downing and fifth year senior Duncan Fort were both recognized prior to the game with Austin wearing Chic's #34 instead of his normal #5 jersey in tribute to his grandfather.
 
The two seniors then combined to score the Hornets first 15 points of the game.  Fort got things started with hook shot in the lane and Downing followed with a pull up jumper to give Emporia State a 4-2 lead.  Fort then hit three straight three-pointers to put Emporia State up 13-10.  Jumah'Ri Turner was the first Hornet other than Downing or Fort to score and his jumper with 13:26 started a 12-3 run that would give Emporia State a 27-19 lead with 8:48 left in the half.
 
The Hornets would go up 16 on a Mason Thiessen three pointer with 3:27 left in the half.  They finished the half on an 8-3 run and Gage McGuire's tip in at the buzzer gave Emporia State a 52-34 lead at the break. It was the most points scored in the first half of a game by the Hornets since dropping 72 on Bethel on November 24, 2018.
 
Emporia State shot a sizzling 61.1% in the first half and had more assists (14) than Northeastern State had rebounds (13) in the opening 20 minutes.
 
A 10-2 run early in the second half turned an 18 point game into a 26 point spread when Turner completed and old fashioned three-point play with 15:00  left to make it 64-38.  Emporia State took their biggest lead of the night at 88-50 with 8:41 left and were able to pull Fort and Downing for a Senior Night send off with 7:43 left while leading 89-53.  The Hornets led 95-61 with 2:52 remaining before the RiverHawks closed the game on an 11-2 run for the final score of 97-72.
 
Jumah'Ri Turner led Emporia State with 20 points, Duncan Fort had a career high 18 points on seven of nine shooting in just 18 minutes and Austin Downing had 13 points, seven assists with just one turnover. Gage McGuire added 17 points, Mayuom Buom had 12 and Mason Thiessen scored 11 as six Hornets reached double figures.  Dallas Bailey did not score but led Emporia State with seven rebounds and dished five assists.
 
Emporia State is right back in action on Thursday when they travel to Pittsburg State.  Tip-off in a key game to determine MIAA Tournament seeding is set for 7:30 p.m.

NOTES
Emporia State is now 10-10 in the MIAA and one of seven teams vying for the final five spots in the MIAA Tournament with either nine or ten losses.