WICHITA - The Newman women's basketball team committed 28 turnovers, and suffered their first Heartland Conference loss of the season in an 84-79 decision to Texas-Permian Basin Thursday evening at Fugate Gymnasium in Wichita. Philicia Kelly led all scorers with 20 points in the loss.

Playing at home for the first time since Dec. 17, Newman (11-7, 2-1 Heartland) looked the part of the aggressor to open the game. Tasha Cannon took Newman's opening possession all the way to the rim to give the Jets the first points of the game. Newman then scored the next four points, and held a high-powered Texas-Permian Basin (13-5, 2-1 Heartland) offense scoreless until the 16:28 mark of the first half. When the Falcons finally did score, they did so often. UTPB answered with an 11-0 run over the next two minutes, and took an 11-6 lead after a Miesha Blackshear lay-up at the 14:32 mark. A Rhea Codio jumper on Newman's following possession sparked a 7-0 Newman run that allowed the Jets to regain the momentum, and gave the hosts a 15-11 lead with 12:27 to play. Newman held that lead for the next three minutes, but never led by more than five, but again the Falcons were up to the task. Slowly but surely UTPB's five-in, five-out substitution strategy began to wear on the Jets, who relied on seven players through the majority of the first half. A Cashena Mathis trey gave the Falcons a 24-22 lead, one they held for the remainder of the half. After 20 minutes of play, UTPB held a 41-39 advantage.

Newman took advantage of its fresh legs to start the second half. The Jets took their first lead of the half after a Philicia Kelly lay-up at the 17:47 mark, and pushed their cushion to as many as six, 53-47, after a Nikita Norwood jumper with 16:28 still to play. Once again, UTPB was ready to respond. The Falcons threw together a 10-3 run to take a 57-56 edge at the 13:59 mark. After trading baskets for the next six minutes, Newman used a 4-0 spurt to take a 69-64 lead after an Alex Adekunle lay-up at the 6:42 mark, but the Falcons got the last laugh. Once again, UTPB's depth began to rear its ugly head. The Falcons needed just under three minutes to turn a five-point deficit into a six-point lead, as UTPB reeled off an 11-0 run, capped by a Blackshear lay-up with 4:15 to play. That lead proved insurmountable for the Jets, who were dealt their first Heartland Conference loss of the season with an 84-79 loss to the Falcons.

Philicia Kelly scored a game-high 20 points in the loss, but also committed 10 of Newman's 28 turnovers in the contest. Tasha Cannon notched her sixth double-double of the season with a 16-piont, 11-rebound outing, while Rhea Codio used a three-for-three effort from long range to scored 15 points. Alex Adekunle joined Cannon in the double-double club, finishing with 12 points and 10 rebounds. As a team, Newman shot .492 (32-65) from the field, and hit 11 of its 15 free throw attempts, while out-rebounding UTPB 56-37.

Tammy Acosta led the Falcons with 16 points, while adding seven steals.

With the loss, the Jets fall to 11-7 on the season, and 2-1 in Heartland Conference play. They will return to action Saturday, hosting St. Edward's in a 12:30 p.m. game that will be broadcast nationally on CBS College Sports Network. Admission to the game, as well as the pre-game party in the Dugan Conference Center is free, and open to the public.