Attempting to get back on the winning track, the Northeastern A&M Golden Norsemen host the Vikings of Carl Albert State College, Monday at 8 p.m., in a Oklahoma Collegiate Athletic Conference contest in the NEO Fieldhouse.


Coach Dustin Grover's young Golden Norsemen have been on a roller coaster ride since returning from Christmas break. After knocking off 16th-ranked Connors State College 96-85 last Monday, the Norsemen suffered a 65-59 loss at Murray State last Thursday.
“We've got to get some consistency in our game,” Grover said. “We didn't take good shots at Tishomingo and you can't beat people when you only shoot 36 per cent from the field (24 of 66) for the game.”
With the loss the Golden Norse are 2-3 in the conference and 9-8 on the year. The Norsemen travel to El Reno on Thursday for an 8 p.m. conference game with Redlands Community College.
While the Golden Norsemen have been searching for some consistency, veteran coach Mike St. John is just looking for a win with Carl Albert. The Vikings are winless in five OCAC games and 2-12 overall. The Vikings dropped a 73-64 decision to Redlands last Thursday in Poteau.
“Their record doesn't mean a thing,” Grover said. “One of their two wins was a 72-70 victory in November at No. 10-ranked Coffeyville, Kan. That's the only loss (Jay) Herkelman's team has and it was on their home court.”
Five sophomores return from a team which eliminated NEO from the Region II Tournament last season in a first-round game played in Miami. 
After losing a five-point lead in the final six minutes of regulation play, the No. 7 seed Golden Norsemen dropped a 73-70 decision in overtime to No. 10 seed Carl Albert State College in the first round of the Men's Division I Region II Tournament in the NEO Fieldhouse. Joel Quinones led all scorers with 19 total points while Frank Russell scored 16 and Chris Cox 15 points for the Norse. Adrion Webber scored 17 points to lead the Vikings while Josh Harmon added 16, Myron Williams 15 points.
The Vikings finished 6-24 on the season and 5-13 in the conference last year which included two losses to the Golden Norse during the regular season. 
Sophomore forward Cesar Mapeli scored 21 points to lead the Norsemen to a 68-60 victory over the Vikings in the Mick Thompson Fitness Center to start the series.
With five players scoring in double figures, the Norse cruised to a 75-59 victory in the NEO Fieldhouse over the Vikings. Aaron Francis led the Norse with 14 points, Quinones 13, Gerardo Isla12, Jon Bond 11 and Cox 10. Hadden paced all scorers with 16 points while Myron Williams added 12 for the Vikings.
Sophomores Hadden and Webber along with freshman Devin Coleman make up the back court for Carl Albert.
Hadden (6-4 from Millville, N.J.) averages 14.5 points with 3.8 rebounds while making 53 assists and 28 steals.
Webber (6-5 from Muskogee) leads the Vikings in scoring with a 15.1 mark while grabbing 4.9 rebounds with 16 assists and 12 steals.
Coleman (5-10 from Bridgeport, Conn.) leads Carl Albert with 39 assists and 31 steals while scoring 6.2 points per game at point-guard.
Veterans Josh Gracie and Lashawn Gallion start down low for the Vikings.
Gracie (6-5 from Fletcher, N.C.) averages 5.3 points and 2.9 rebounds in the post position for Carl Albert.
Gallion (6-6 from Jacksonville, Fla.) leads the Vikings with a 6-4 rebounding mark while averaging 7.4 points per game.
Freshmen Josh Roach, Nkosi Ali and Jeff Newberry start at guards for the Golden Norsemen.
Roach (6-0 from Vinita) has made 20 assists and 21 steals while averaging 7.4 points per game at point.
Ali (6-11 from Atlanta, Ga.) averages 9.1 points and 6.8 rebounds with 31 assists and 31 steals. He also has recorded 24 blocked shots.
Newberry (6-2 from Atlanta, Ga.) is the Golden Norse leading scorer with a 14.4 average while posting 82 assists and 24 steals.
Freshmen Frederico Santos and Ja'mill Powell start in the paint for the Golden Norsemen. 
Santos (6-5 from Rio de Janerio, Brazil) leads the Norse with a 10.7 rebounding average while scoring 13.1 points per game.
Powell (6-6 from Bridgeton, Conn.) averages 9.7 points and 3.3 rebounds per contest.