WICHITA - Senior Jessica Forshee dumped in 18 points and added 16 rebounds, but it wasn't enough to lift the Newman women's basketball team past Kansas Wesleyan, falling 72-69 to the Coyotes in overtime Tuesday night at Fugate Gymnasium.

Newman (1-4) made the first move, jumping out to a 10-5 lead, and kept the foot on the pedal, gaining a 21-10 lead on a Forshee three by the midway point of the first half. An eight-point Kansas Wesleyan (5-2) run brought the game to within three, 21-18, with just under six minutes to play, but three minutes later the Jets had pushed their lead back to 10, 30-20, on the heels of a 9-2 run. Newman was able to maintain a double-digit lead into the halftime break, when the Jets led 37-26.

Kansas Wesleyan responded in the second half, keeping the Jets off the board for the first two minutes, and holding Newman to just two points through the first five minutes of the second half. All the while, the Coyotes were putting together a 12-2 run, and had drawn to within one, 39-38, by the 15-minute mark. KWU tied the game, 44-44, at the 12:21 mark, and sparked a race to the finish. Neither team led by more than three for the next five minutes, but the Coyotes quietly put together a 12-6 run, and took a 56-50 lead with six minutes to play. Newman drew to within one on several occasions late in the game, but couldn't find a way to take the lead. A late lay-up attempt by Melanie Brockleman just missed at the buzzer, and the Jets headed to overtime tied 60-60.

KWU drained a trey on their first possession of the overtime period, and took a 63-60 lead just 10 seconds into the frame. A Melanie Brockleman lay-up and a Rainey Nickel three-ball later, and the Jets found themselves with a 65-63 lead with half an overtime period still to play. Newman held the lead into the final 12 seconds of the game when KWU's Stephanie Frost nailed a lay-up, and was fouled, tying the game at 69-69 with 12 seconds to play, and giving the purple-clad Coyotes a chance to take a late lead. Frost converted her free throw attempt, and two late Coyote free throws were enough to seal the deal, and the Coyotes escaped Fugate Gymnasium with a 72-69 overtime win.

Forshee's 18-point, 16-rebound double-double led the Jets in both categories, while Rainey Nickel added 15 points and five assists in the loss, thanks in large part to a four-for-five effort from long range. Nine different Jets recorded rebounds in the contest, as Newman dominated KWU on the boards, winning the rebound battle 63-33, but Newman committed 25 turnovers while the Coyotes committed just 15.

With the loss, the Jets fall to 1-3 on the season. They will be back in action Saturday when they travel to Wayne, Neb., to take on the Wayne State Wildcats in a 3 p.m. contest.