Newman (4-2, 0-0 Heartland) at East Central (2-3, 0-0 Great American)
Saturday, Dec. 3 || 1 p.m. || Kerr Dome (3,000) || Ada, Okla || Live Audio || Live Stats || Live Video
Newman Notes || East Central Notes
ADA, Okla.- The Newman men's basketball team will look for its second-straight victory on Saturday, when they travel to Ada, Okla. to take on the Tigers of East Central University. Tip-time is slated for 1 p.m. inside the Kerr Dome.
Meet the Jets...
Newman will look to continue its winning ways when they head to East Central. The Jets snapped their two-game losing streak with a 67-56 win over Lincoln University on November 28 in Wichita. The early portion of the season has been up and down for Newman, as five returning players are getting accustomed to playing with 10 newcomers.
The Jets are averaging 68 points per game, and are outscoring the opposition by nearly five points per contest. Newman will look to bring its field goal percentage up, as they are only shooting 38 percent from the field, and 31 percent from behind the arc. Newman has been stifling its opponents on defense, forcing 18 turnovers per game, and snatching nearly 10 steals per contest. Early on in the season, the Jets have typically picked up the pace in the second half, outscoring their opponents 233-188 in the period.
Eric Saunders and Chuck Coley have led the offensive attack for Newman, averaging 11.8 and 10.2 points per game respectively. Coley is also team's leader in rebounds, averaging nearly seven boards per game. The Jets have used the same starting lineup (Saunders, Coley, Traylor, Felter, and Wesley) in each of the first six games, and their starters have contributed 66 percent of the team's total scoring output throughout the season.
Last Time Out...
The Jets snapped a two-game losing streak, defeating Lincoln University in a 67-56 decision on Monday. Darrell Traylor led the Newman offense, scoring a team-high 13 points on five-for-seven shooting. Traylor was the only Jet to score in double-figures for the game. Bobby Wesley chipped in nine points and nine rebounds, nearly recording his first double-double on the year. Newman out-rebounded the Blue Tigers 46-37 on the night, and 17 of those came on the offensive end.
Scouting the Tigers...
East Central enters Saturday's match-up with a 2-3 record on the season. The Tigers are coming off a 81-68 victory over Park University on November 26. Nick Young and Hayden Darst both recorded double-doubles on the night, Young led the Tigers with 19 points and 12 rebounds. Darst finished the night with 15 points and 11 rebounds. Darst is leading East Central offensively, averaging 11.6 points per contest. Darst is also East Central's leading rebounder, grabbing 6.8 boards per game. As a team, East Central is shooting 42.5 percent from the field, and are out-rebounding its opponents 42-31 per game.
Its Been Awhile...
Saturday's meeting marks the first time the two schools have met since the 1978-79 season. East Central defeated Newman 84-81. One year later, the three-point line was introduced to the game of basketball. The series is tied at one game apiece.
