DALLAS, Texas- The Newman men's basketball team dropped its second-consecutive Heartland Conference game at Dallas Baptist on Saturday, 79-69. Chuck Coley led the Jets' with 18 points.

Newman (15-6, 7-2 Heartland) started off on the right foot inside the Burg Center, when Eric Saunders scored the first points of the day with a jumper at the 18:21 mark. The Jets held a 4-2 edge at the 16:25 mark before a pair of Jordan McGowen free throws sparked a 6-0 run, giving Dallas Baptist (14-8, 5-3 Heartland) its first lead of the day, 8-4. Newman responded with a 4-0 spurt of its own to tie the ball-game at 8-8, after a Kalub Long jumper with 13:54 left in the half. Both teams matched eachother shot-for-shot for the next nine minutes, before a Connor Walker three-pointer at the 5:10 mark gave the Jets a 24-20 lead. An Eric Saunders' three-ball with 2:41 remaining in the period gave Newman a little breathing room, but the Patriots answered with another 6-0 run to cut the deficit to 29-28 with 23 seconds left in the half. Chuck Coley ended the half with a thunderous dunk with six seconds left on the clock to give the Jets a 31-28 halftime lead.

The second half was a battle between two teams that wanted to steal the momentum. The game reamined deadlocked at 36-36 at the 16:31 mark, following a pair of Armie Lewis free-throws. For the next three minutes, neither team led by more than three points, before DBU went on a 9-2 run to give them a 49-43 lead with 11:32 left in regulation. A pair of Nick Fox free-throws gave the Patriots a 51-45 at the 9:03 mark. Mason Felter's free-throws cut the lead to 53-49 with 7:01 remaining, but DBU replied with a 16-5 run, giving the Patriots a 69-54 lead with 3:09 left in the game, essentially shutting the door on any Newman rally. The Jets could not cut the deficit to less than 10 points, securing the victory for DBU.

Chuck Coley led Newman with 18 points. Eric Saunders was one assist shy of his first double-double of the season, sporting a 14-point, nine-assist outing. Shamar Acuay chipped in with 11 points.

As a team, the Jets shot 35.7 percent (25-70) from the field, and 27.3 percent (6-22) from beyond the arc. Newman was out-rebounded by DBU 37-33.

With the loss, the Jets move to 15-6 on the season, and 7-2 in Heartland Conference action. Newman returns to the hardwood on Feb. 9, when they travel to San Antonio, Texas to take on the Rattlers of St. Mary's. 

--www.newmanjets.com--