WAYNE, Neb. - The Newman women's basketball team will face its toughest test of the season Tuesday, and will have to travel nearly six hours to do so. The undefeated Jets will take on ninth-ranked Wayne State in a 6 p.m. contest inside Rice Auditorium in Wayne, Neb.

Meet the Jets...
Newman returns six players from a 2010-11 squad that won the school's first-ever Heartland Conference regular season championship, and finished with a 19-8 record on the season, including a 9-1 mark against Heartland Conferene opponents. Newman's first-ever women's basketball post-season run was cut short when fourth-seeded St. Edward's knocked the Jets out of the Heartland Conference Championship tournament with a 77-58 semi-final win.

Tasha Cannon carried the Jets through much of the 2010-11 season, and has picked up this season where she left off last season. The senior recorded her second double-double of the 2011-12 season in Saturday's 64-41 win over Avila, scoring 13 points and adding 13 rebounds against the Eagles. The reigning Heartland Conference Newcomer of the Year, Cannon is averaging 16.8 points and 11.3 rebounds through four games in 2011-12.

But Cannon isn't Newman's only threat. Satoria Bell has fallen short of the 20-point mark in just one game this season, and is averaging 20.5 points per game. Bell averages 17 shots per game, and converts them at a 48.5 percent clip. The senior guard who transferred from Temple has also drained 17 of her 22 free throw attempts this season.

After a slow start to her Newman career, senior guard Anna Sonka has come on strong lately, averaging nine points per game in last weekend's Catholic Collegiate Invitationl in Kansas City, Mo. The Toledo transfer drained four three's on her way to 12 points in a win over Regis, and added six points as the Jets blew out Avila in the championship game.

Four different players have occupied the final two spots in the Newman line-up this season. Samantha Soyez (3.7 ppg, 2.7 rpg)and Alina Voronenko (3.8 ppg, 4.8 rpg)have each made three starts this season, while Alex Adekunle (5.0 ppg, 5.7 rpg) and Celeste Key (2.3 ppg, 2.3 rpg) have each made one start.

As a team, Newman is shooting 44.8 percent (99-221) from the field, and 25.0 percent (11-44) from long range. The Jets convert 75.0 percent (57-76) of their free throws, and out-rebound their opponents by a 40.2-32.2 average.

Last Time Out...
The Jets improved to 4-0 on the season with a pair of wins at the 2011 Catholic Collegiate Invitational, hosted by Rockhurst University. Newman opened the tournament with a 63-52 win over Regis, then picked up its biggest win of the season with a 64-41 win over NAIA power Avila in Saturday's championship game. Newman shot 44.4 percent (52-117) from the field, and 88.2 percent (15-17) from the free throw line on the way to their second-straight Catholic Collegiate Invitational championship.

Scouting Wayne State...
After posting a 26-4 record in 2010-11, and advancing to the second round of the NCAA Central Regional championship, Wayne State is off to a 4-0 record this season, and has feasted on Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference teams to do so. The Wildcats downed Colorado Mines (68-57) and Colorado Christian (62-51) in their opening weekend, then went on the road to tackle South Dakota Mines (71-65) and Chadron State (70-57) last weekend.

Wayne State is led by Ashley Arlen, a 6-2 senior forward who averages 19.5 points and 9.3 rebounds per game this season. Clare Duwelius, a 5-10 senior guard is the only Wildcat averaging double figures with a 10.3 point, 3.3 rebounds average through four games in 2011-12.

The Wildcats have not lost a game inside Rice Auditorium since Feb. 25, 2009 when Southwest Minnesota State handed them a 67-62 loss.

A Young Series...
Newman has met Wayne State just three times, and all three meetings have gone in favor of the Wildcats. Newman is 0-2 all-time in games played at Wayne.