AUSTIN, Texas - The Newman men's basketball dropped its third-straight game Saturday afternoon, falling 59-57 to the St. Edward's Hilltoppers at the Recreation and Convocation Center in Austin, Texas. Jaray Mathews, Terrell Northington, and Will Burdette each scored nine points to lead the Jets.

Both teams were ready to play coming out of the gates. A lay-up by Jeff Miner put the first points on the board with a lay-up that gave St. Edward's (10-12, 5-6 Heartland) an early 2-0 lead. Newman (15-7, 8-4 Heartland) answered with a lay-up from Justin Berry to knot the game at 2-2. Neither team was able to establish control early on, forcing four ties in the first five minutes of play; the fourth of which came at the 14:47 mark when the game was tied, 8-8. That's when Newman used a 9-2 spurt to establish a 17-10 lead at the 12:38 mark. It took less than two minutes for the Hilltoppers to respond as another Miner lay-up gave the hosts an 18-17 lead at the 10:47 mark.

Four more ties followed over the next five minutes. A Jarvis Jackson three-pointer gave Newman a three-point, 32-29, lead at the 5:01 mark. From that point, Newman closed out the first half on a 9-4 run, and took a 37-33 lead into the halftime break.

As hot as both teams were coming out of the gate to start the game, they were every bit as cold in the second half. St. Edward's needed less than three minutes to tie the game once again, 39-39, at the 17:30 mark of the second half. Neither team led by more than one over the next five minutes when Will Burdette converted two free throws and gave Newman a 48-45 lead with 9:30 to play. Over the next three minutes, both teams went a combined two-for-10 from the field, but unfortunately for the Jets, both made baskets belonged to the Hilltoppers, who took a 49-48 lead at the 6:50 mark.

A 7-2 run by Newman allowed the Jets to take a four-point, 55-51 lead with 4:47 to play, but once again the Hilltoppers had an answer in the form of free throws. St. Edward's missed their next four shots from the floor, but hit their next four free throws to tie the game at 55-55 with 1:42 to play. Miner was on the scene once again with a jumper that gave St. Edward's a 57-55 lead with a minute to play, but Chip Steven answered on the other end with a jumper of his own, tying the game at 57-57 with 45 seconds remaining. The Jets got the ball back late in the game via an offensive foul, but was whistled for an offensive foul of their own on the following possession, and gave St. Edward's the ball back with less than 35 seconds to play. Once again, the Hilltoppers put the ball in the hands of Miner, who was fouled on a potential game-winning shot with three seconds to play. Instead, Miner converted two free throws and sent the Jets home with their third-straight loss, 59-57.

Jaray Mathews, Will Burdette, and Terrell Northington each scored nine points to lead the Jets. Mathews also led Newman with 14 rebounds in the game.

Reggie Shanks led St. Edward's with 21 points in the contest.

With the loss, the Jets fall to 15-7 on the season, and are tied for second in the Heartland Conference with an 8-4 record. They will look to get back on the winning track next Saturday when they travel to Jefferson City, Mo., to take on the Lincoln Blue Tigers. Tip-time in Lincoln's Jason Gym is slated for 4:30 p.m.

-Newman University-