Box Score WICHITA – A 14-point halftime deficit was too much for the Newman women's basketball team to overcome as the Lady Jets fell 66-64 to Rockhurst on Saturday (Nov. 9) at Fugate Gymnasium in their season opener. Sophomore Alexandra Ciabattoni scored a career-high 30 points.
 
After trailing by as many as 17 points in the second half, the Lady Jets closed to within one at 64-63 on a Shakira Raynor 3-pointer with 1:39 remaining in the game. NU had multiple opportunities to take the lead in the closing minute, but couldn't convert. DeKendra Ledoux's triple from the left wing with 57 seconds left didn't fall, and Raynor missed a layup with 23 remaining.
 
Rockhurst made one of two free throws with 13 seconds remaining to go up 65-63. Ciabattoni was fouled with 5 seconds on the clock and had a chance to tie the score with two made free throws. She missed the first of two and made the second to pull NU to within one at 65-64. The Hawks added one late free throw, and the Lady Jets couldn't get a shot off in the last 3 seconds for the 66-64 final score.
 
With the score tied at 10-10 at the 13:19 mark of the first half, Rockhurst went on a 19-4 run to open up a 29-14 advantage with less than 5 minutes until halftime. The Hawks led 37-23 at the break.
 
The Hawks opened up to a 17-point lead at 44-27, their largest of the game, with a layup at the 17:25 mark. A Lady Jets 13-4 run cut the deficit to single digits, 48-40, with 11:53 remaining.
 
After a RU 3-pointer pushed the deficit to 10, NU's 8-0 run pulled them to within two. Ciabattoni scored the first six points of the run, and Shakeira Copeland's jumper at the 5:38 mark made it 56-54. The Lady Jets kept it close for the rest of the game, but couldn't take control.
 
Ciabattoni scored the 30 points on 12-of-16 shooting from the field, and she was 6-of-9 from the free throw line. She added a game-high five steals and a team-high six rebounds. Raynor tallied 13 points and had a game-high five assists.
 
In the second half, NU shot 51.6 percent (16-31) from the field after shooting 38.5 percent (10-26) in the first half. The Lady Jets finished 26-57 of the field (45.6 percent).
 
NU hosts Central Christian on Monday (Nov. 11) at 7 p.m. inside Fugate Gymnasium.