Box Score WICHITA – The Newman men's basketball team started strong and pulled away for a 97-68 victory against Manhattan Christian on Saturday night (Nov. 16) at Fugate Gymnasium. The Jets upped their record to 2-1 on the season.
 
The Jets scored the first 10 points of the game in less than 3 minutes to go up 10-0. Trae Beck hit his first two 3-pointers of the season, and Ryan McCarthy and Marquis Cuyler added a bucket each during the run.
 
NU pushed the margin to 28 points at the 4:29 mark on a Richard Waldron 3-pointer for a 43-15 score. The Jets led 52-26 at halftime. NU cruised in the second half to the 97-68 win.
 
Four Jets hit double figures. Jack Pyle led NU with 12 points on 5-of-8 shooting. McCarthy added 10 points on 5-of-7 shooting. Perryonte Smith and Jeremy Espinoza each poured in 10 points. Smith dished out a team-high six assists, and Richard Waldon pulled down a team-high eight rebounds. Fourteen Jets played with all scoring points.
 
For the game, NU shot 52.9 percent from the field (37-70) and 37.5 percent from 3-point range. However, the Jets struggled from the line, hitting only 11-of-24 (45.8 percent) free throws.
 
The Jets travel to two MIAA opponents next week. NU goes to Fort Hays State on Tuesday (Nov. 19) for a 7:30 p.m. tip-off in Hays, and then the Jets travel to Washburn on Saturday (Nov. 23) for a 1 p.m. game in Topeka. KGSO 1410 AM will broadcast both games, and live stats and video will also be available.