by AHLEQUAH — Zaria Collins and Cenia Hayes (Cherokee) both had 20 point games, but a pair of late buckets by Rogers State ended Northeastern State’s season with a 62-59 defeat Saturday.
Collins paced both teams with 23 points to lead the RiverHawks in scoring for the 11th time this season. The sophomore also grabbed 11 rebounds for her fourth double-double of the season.
Hayes tied the game at 57-57 with 3:07 left and scored 21 points for her 20th career game with at least 20 points. The Tahlequah native moved up to fifth on NSU’s all-time scoring list on her senior night and has 1282 career points.
The RiverHawks went scoreless in the final 90 seconds of the game while RSU got a go-ahead bucket with 1:17 left. In the last seconds of the game, a turnover by NSU allowed the Hillcats to get a layup before the buzzer to ice the game and sweep the season series.
Northeastern State shot 36.8-percent from the field on 21-for-57 shooting. From the arc, they were 4-for-15.
Behind Collins’ 11 rebounds, NSU paced the Hillcats by three with 33 on the glass.
Rogers State finishes their season with a 6-16 record (6-16 MIAA).
Northeastern State closes their season with an identical record to the Hillcats.
