Box Score ADA, Okla. - Four players posted double-figure scoring totals, and led the Newman men's basketball team to an 83-73 win over East Central Saturday afternoon at the Kerr Center in Ada, Okla. Eric Saunders led the charge for the Jets with 19 points in the win.

Chuck Coley opened the game with six-straight points, and gave Newman (5-2) a 6-4 lead with a lay-up at the 16:36 mark. East Central (2-4) countered with a 5-2 spurt to take a brief 9-8 lead nearing the 15-minute mark, but an Eric Saudners lay-up on Newman's ensuing possession sparked a 10-2 run, capped by a Ryan Mesh lay-up, and gave the visiting Jets an 18-11 lead with 11:25 to play in the half. Not to be out-done, ECU answered with a 9-2 rally, and tied the game at 20-20 with 7:29 on the clock. Neither team could take control of the contest in the final minutes of the opening half. The final seven minutes of the period saw three ties and four lead changes, the final of which went to ECU, which scored four of the final six points of the half, and took a 34-32 lead into the halftime locker room.

The two teams picked up right where they left off in the second half, forcing three ties and three lead changes in the first three minutes of the final frame. A pair of Kalub Long free throws broke that streak, and gave Newman a 41-39 lead with 16:27 to play. This time, the Jets would not relinquish their lead. Five minutes later, a Bobby Wesley free throw gave the Jets an eight-point, 51-43 lead. Connor Walker's lay-up with 10:47 to play gave the Jets a 56-45 advantage. The Tigers weren't ready to throw in the towel just yet. East Central pieced together a 13-4 run over the next three minutes, and pulled the Tigers to within two, 60-58, with 7:10 to play, but that was all Newman would yield. The Jets out-scored ECU 7-1 over the next three minutes, and pushed their lead back to eight, 67-59, after another Long jumper. Newman extended its lead to as many as 14 inside the final minute after a pair of Saunders free throws that let Newman cruise to the finish line for a 10-point, 83-73 win.

Saunders led the Jets with 19 points as one of four Newman student-athletes to record double-digit scoring totals. Chuck Coley added 13 points while Connor Walker and Bobby Wesley added 12 and 11 points, respectively. Josh Pleasant was Newman's leading rebounder, snagging seven points for the Jets, which were out-rebounded by ECU by a 47-34 margin.

Caprest Rhone led East Central with 19 points, while Nick Young led all rebounders with 14 boards.

As a team, Newman shot 49.2 percent (30-61) from the field and 60 percent (21-35) from the free throw line. The Jets took just nine three-point attempts, and hit two of them.

With the win, the Jets improve to 5-2 on the season. They will return to action Wednesday, traveling to Emporia, Kan., to take on the Emporia State Hornets. Tip-time is slated for 7 p.m. inside historic White Auditorium.