Box Score WICHITA – The Newman women's basketball team won 63-57 over Texas-Permian Basin on Saturday (Jan. 25) at Fugate Gymnasium. The Jets moved to 10-9 and 7-6 in the Heartland Conference.
 
NU started the game with a 13-2 in the first 4 minutes. Alexandra Ciabattoni scored seven points during the run, and Shekeira Copeland added the other six NU points.
 
The Falcons responded, cutting the deficit to two points, 18-16, midway through the first half. Two Ciabattoni jumpers and a Copeland layup increased the advantage back to eight points, 24-16, with 7:11 left in the half.
 
After UTPB pulled with within three at 25-22, with 4:16 left in the half, NU ended the first stanza with a 9-0 run to go up 34-22 at halftime. Another Ciabattoni basket started the run, and Cheniqwa Banks pushed the lead to 30-22 with a 3-pointer at the 2:55 mark. Ciabattoni and Copeland each added one more field goal in the first half for the 34-22 score.
 
The run continued in the second half as NU scored the first eight points after halftime to go up 42-22, their largest lead of the game, with 15:32 remaining.
 
The lead remained double digits in the second half until the final 2 minutes. The Falcons cut the deficit to nine points, 61-52, with a layup at the 1:39 mark, and a 3-pointer with 33 seconds made it 61-55. The Lady Jets hung on for the 63-57 win.
 
The Lady Jets got balanced scoring from Banks, Copeland and Ciabattoni. The trio combined for 56 of the 63 NU points. Banks and Copeland each scored 19 points, and Ciabattoni added 18 points, including 17 points in the first half. Copeland went 8-of-10 from the field, and Ciabattoni finished 8-of-12. Banks knocked down five 3-pointers.
 
NU shot 49 percent (25-51) from the field, and held UTPB to 35.1 percent (20-57).
 
The Lady Jets travel to St. Mary's on Thursday (Jan. 30) for a Heartland Conference game at 5:30 p.m. in San Antonio, Texas.