From NSU Sports Information
TAHLEQUAH, Okla. – The Northeastern State women’s basketball team defeated No. 18 Pittsburg State 65-50 Wednesday night inside Jack Dobbins Field House.
The RiverHawks (12-5, 7-2 MIAA) added to their growing list of defeated ranked teams, which now includes No. 9 Washburn, No. 10 Fort Hays State, No. 21 Emporia State, and the No. 18-ranked Gorillas.
NSU held Pittsburg State (12-5, 6-3 MIAA) to season lows in points scored (50) and shooting percentage (.302, 16-for-53). The green and white accomplished the same feat in victories over the Lady Blues, Tigers and Lady Hornets.
Northeastern State shot 44 percent (26-for-59) from both the field and from behind the three-point line (7-for-16). The team made all six free throws attempted. NSU also recorded 15 assists and a season-low five turnovers, while tying the taller Gorillas in rebounds, 36-36.
Senior guards Tosha Tyler and Taylor Lewis combined for 36 points on 14-of-25 shooting. Tyler scored 19 and Lewis poured in 17, while adding seven rebounds and five assists. Senior forward Sarah Green recorded six points and a season-high 11 rebounds.
Lizzy Jeronimus, the MIAA’s leading scorer, dropped 18 points, but no other member of her squad reached double figures. The visitors shot just 26 percent (8-for-31) from downtown and 67 percent (10-for-15) from the charity stripe.
The two sides exchanged blows in the first eight minutes, but neither team could pull away. With the score tied 12-12, Jeronimus led her team on a 6-0 run to give the Gorillas an 18-12 advantage at the 8:25 mark.
Northeastern State scored the next seven points to regain the lead, and the RiverHawks ended the half on a 16-6 run to take a 28-24 advantage into intermission.
There were six lead changes in the first 20 minutes of action, but NSU opened the second half on an 11-2 run and never allowed the Gorillas to get their deficit below 10 points the rest of the way.
The largest lead of the game for Northeastern State was 65-47 at the 1:14 mark, and a late three from Drew Roberts pushed the final score to 65-50 in favor of NSU.
Northeastern State has now won eight of its last nine contests. The RiverHawks will head on the road for a three-game set, starting at 1:30 p.m. Jan. 26 at Missouri Southern State.
Cedrique Flemming is the Assistant Athletic Director for Media Relations at Northeastern State University.