WICHITA - The Newman men's basketball team hopes to put an end to a four-game losing skid Thursday, hosting their first home game since Dec. 18 when the Texas-Permian Basin Falcons pay a visit to Fugate Gymnasium. Tip-time is slated for 8 p.m., or approximately 20 minutes following the conclusion of the Newman-UTPB women's basketball game.
About the Jets...
Newman is 7-8 on the season, and 0-2 in Heartland Conference play after the first 15 games of the season, but has taken on some of the toughest compeition the South Central region has to offer, including the likes of Lone Star Conference foes Southwestern Oklahoma State (W, 91-78), West Texas A&M (L, 83-68), Angelo State (W, 77-69), No. 11 Tarleton State (L, 83-54), and No. 21 Midwestern State (L, 89-69) and MIAA rivals Pittsburg State (L, 95-68) and Fort Hays State (L, 84-71). The Jets have dropped four-straight games after a 78-66 loss to St. Mary's Saturday evening in San Antonio, Texas
The Jets are led by
Keaton Schultz, a senior guard from Neodesha, Kan., who is averaging 12.9 points and 4.1 rebounds per game.
Will Burdette, a senior transfer forward from the Northeastern Mississippi Junior College, scores 12.5 points and grabs a team-high 4.7 rebounds per game, while
Eric Saunders, who has stepped into the point guard position after the injury to
Bobby Wesley in the opening game of the season, can be counted on for 8.3 points and 4.1 assists per game after a 15-point outing Saturday at St. Mary's.
As a team, the Jets average 74.3 points per game, and have shot a .407 collective field goal percentage
Scouting Texas-Permian Basin...
The Falcons bring an 8-8 overall record, and a 2-1 mark in Heartland Conference play into Saturday's contest, and have lost two of their last three games after an 87-85 loss to Arkansas-Fort Smith Saturday in Odessa. The Falcons are 2-6 in road games. Their last road win came Jan. 6 in a 76-75 overtime win at Texas A&M International.
The Falcons have not won a game outside the state of Texas this season.
Jamal Holden has emerged as the Falcons' leading scorer this season. The <ht, yr, pos> averages 13.6 points and 3.8 rebounds per game this season. He is complemented by Erik Martin, a <ht, yr, pos> who averages 12.0 points per game. Ke'Andre Derrick is equally dangerous. The <ht, yr, pos> averages 11.7 points per game for the Falcons.
As a team, the Falcons shoot .435 from the floor, and .344 from three-point range, and give up just 33.1 rebounds per game.
Last Time These Two Met...
Newman guaranteed itself of the No. 2 seed in the 2010 Heartland Conference Championship tournament when it ended its regular season with a 57-54 win over the Falcons on Feb. 27 in Wichita.
Will Burdette led the Jets with 15 points, while
Keaton Schultz added nine. The Jets were able to overcome a two-for-15 effort from long range for the win.
UTPB's Justin Bailey led all scorers with 21 points in the game.
The Falcons out-rebounded Newman 31-25.
The Series....
This will be the the sixth meeting between the Jets and the Falcons. Newman owns a 4-2 lead in the all-time series, and has won each of the last three meetings thanks to a regular season sweep last year. UTPB's last win came in an 80-71 decision over the Jets on Jan. 17, 2009 at the Falcon Dome in Odessa.
