LAREDO, Texas - A turnover-filled game prevented the Newman women's basketball team from earning its second-consecutive road win as the Jets dropped a 68-61 decision to Texas A&M International Thursday evening at the Kinesiology Building in Laredo, Texas. Monique Pitts scored a career-high 17 points in a game that saw both teams combine for 52 turnovers.

Newman (5-16, 3-7 Heartland) raced out to an early 6-1 lead in the first three minutes of the game, only to watch Texas A&M International (4-17, 3-5 Heartland) score the next eight points of the game to take an 8-6 lead at the 15:38 mark. The Dustdevils extended that scoring streak into a 12-4 run that allowed the hosts to take a 20-10 lead at the 12:16 mark. The Jets cut the lead to within two over the next four minutes, and tied the game at 27-27 by the 6:01 mark, but could never take the lead. TAMIU never led by more than three for the remaining six minutes, and at halftime the game was tied, 37-37.

Both teams lost all momentum they had going into the halftime break. It took TAMIU the better part of two minutes to score its first bucket of the second half, while Newman was kept off the scoreboard until the 14:32 mark when a Monique Pitts lay-up sparked a 9-2 run that allowed the Jets to take a 46-41 lead by the 10:42 mark of the second half. The Dustdevils were unphased, though. TAMIU responded with a 16-4 run over the next five minutes, and re-gained control of the game with a 57-50 lead. This time, the Jets didn't have an answer as the Dustdevils held on for the 68-61 win.

Monique Pitts led the Jets with a career-high 17 points in the game while Rainey Nickel added 11 points of her own. Jessica Forshee was Newman's high rebounder with eight boards in the contest. The Jets committed 30 turnovers in the loss, while TAMIU accounted for 22 turnovers.

Mary Tobias led the Dustdevils with 17 points in the contest.

With the loss, the Jets fall to 5-16 overall,and 3-7 in Heartland Conference play. They will return to action Saturday when they travel to Austin, Texas, to take on the St. Edward's Hilltoppers. Tip-off for Saturday's game is slated for 2 p.m.