From NSU Sports Information
QUINCY, Ill. – The Northeastern State men’s basketball team dispatched of Ohio Valley University 96-53 Tuesday night inside Pepsi Arena on the opening day of the QU Holiday Tournament.
The RiverHawks (8-1) will now face Truman State (4-4) in the championship match at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 19.
Five different members of the squad reached double figures, led by senior guard Jon Miller’s 16 points. Fellow senior guard Ethan Anderson added 15, and junior guard Bryton Hobbs recorded his first-career double-double with 12 points and a career-high 10 rebounds. He also had time to dish out six assists.
Senior forward Jermaine Bransford and junior forward Marcus Sheppard each added 10 points. NSU received 40 points from its bench and outrebounded Ohio Valley 36-31.
Eight members of the squad scored at least nine points. Those with nine included senior forwards Zach Jones and John Schneider, and sophomore forward Landon DeMasters.
NSU shot a scorching 64 percent from the field (35-for-55) and 53 percent from three-point territory (8-for-15). The team was 18-for-25 from the free-throw line (72 percent).
Osvaldas Gaizauskas led OVU with 15 points, and Jerry Macon Jr. added 10. The Fighting Scots (2-8) shot 32 percent from the field (20-for-62) and 20 percent from behind the arc (3-for-15). The team was a perfect 10-for-10 from the charity stripe.
The 96-point explosion was the most scored by a RiverHawk squad in more than three years. NSU recorded 99 against Hillsdale College on Dec. 8, 2009.
Cedrique Flemming is the Assistant Athletic Director for Media Relations at Northeastern State University.