TAHLEQUAH, OKLAHOMA - The Rangers opened their season in Tahlequah against Northeastern State University in the MIAA / GAC challenge. The Rangers lost the opener to the host 73-52. The Riverhawks took advantage of an 8-0 run to build a double digit lead halfway through the second half in which they did not lose.
Larry White finished with four team highs in the loss as he earned his first double-double of the season with a 18 point, 11 rebound effort along with four steals and three blocks on the defensive end. Camron McDowell was the other Ranger in double figures with 11 points.
Kabeya Tshibangu started the scoring for the Rangers with two points off a layup thirty seconds into the game. Northeastern State answered with five straight including a three pointer from Jaxon Jones. Northwestern trailed 7-4 through the opening four minutes before the first media timeout, as the defensive intensity picked up. Larry White earned his first block and steal of the season helping the Rangers stay within three points. The teams struggled offensively from the floor as out of the first media timeout the game saw three foul shots and a layup be the only points to start as the Rangers trailed 9-7 heading into the second break.
White tied the game at 9-9 with 9:51 remaining in the first half following his third made basket of the contest for six points in the opening half. Shavaul Butters later tied the game with two foul shots after getting an offensive rebound and drawing the foul. Northeastern State regained the lead after it was 14-14 the home team went on a 5-0 run to take a 19-14 lead with 4:03 left to play before finishing on a 10-1 run taking a 24-15 lead with 2:25 left in the half. Brian Free stopped the run with his first points of the game making it 24-17 but Riverhawks got the lead back to nine at 30-21 following a layup in the closing second of the first half and took the nine point lead into the halftime break.
Camron McDowell started the scoring for the Rangers in the second half answering a basket from the Riverhawks. Tshibangu followed with a layup for his sixth point of the game cutting the deficit back down to seven. However the Riverhawks kept answering the Rangers, extending their lead back to 11 at 39-28 following a jump shot by Marcus Scott. White finished off a dunk to give him 15 points and bring the Rangers back within seven. Northeastern answered with four straight taking their lead to 43-32 with 14:39 remaining in the game. Shavaul Butter finished off a three point play following a layup and a foul shot to bring the Rangers within six 43-37 the closest they had been in the second half. As the Rangers continued to look to close the gap Justin Norris did much of the same with a three point play off a layup and a foul shot as Northwestern trailed 45-40.
Northeastern State came back with an 8-0 run to answer the Rangers to extend their lead back into double digits at 53-40 before McDowell ended the run with a layup at 53-42 with 9:32 remaining in the game. The deficit grew to the largest at that point in the game at 58-42 following a three pointer at the 8:41 mark. The Rangers went on a 7-0 run to bring the deficit back to single digits following three straight layups. Northeastern State was able to end the Ranger run by taking advantage of a foul knocking down both shots at the foul line.
The Riverhawks continued to extend their lead pushing it back to sixteen at 65-49 following a three pointer by Trey Quartlebaum as the Riverhawks knocked down five of them compared to a Rangers zero. Northeastern was able to extend their lead to the largest lead of the game following a basket with 52 seconds left taking a 73-52 lead which would be the final score.
The Rangers will be right back in action Saturday afternoon closing out the weekend against #9 ranked Central Oklahoma.
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