Box Score WICHITA –
Alexandra Ciabattoni's jumper in the paint with 21 seconds remaining lifted the Newman women's basketball team to a 64-62 win against Rogers State on Thursday (Jan. 9) at Fugate Gymnasium. The Lady Jets moved to 8-7 and 5-4 with the win. NU has won three straight games to start 2014.
Ciabattoni put the Lady Jets up 63-62 with the hoop. NU got a stop on defense as RSU missed a jumper with 9 seconds remaining. After a RSU foul,
Chynna Ramelb went 1-for-2 from the line for a 64-62 score with 5 seconds left. Ciabattoni came up big on defense, blocking a RSU shot with 1 second remaining to seal the NU victory.
Already up 20-19 midway through the first half, NU went on a quick 6-0 run with back-to-back 3-pointers to take a 26-19 advantage. Ramelb hit the first at the 8:41 mark, and
Brianna Caldwell knocked in the second 3 at 8:10 of the half. The Lady Jets went up 33-22 with 2:11 remaining in the half on two
Shakira Raynor free throws, and NU led 35-26 at the break.
After it appeared the Lady Jets could hold on to a comfortable advantage, RSU chipped away to within four at 54-50 with 7:31 left in the game.
A 3-pointer by the Hillcats gave them their first lead of the second half at 58-56 with 5:16 left. A layup doubled the Hillcat advantage to 60-56 at the 4:41 mark. Free throws got NU back into the game at the next five NU points came on points from the charity strip.
Shekeira Copeland tied the game at 61-61 after two made free throws with 1:30 left. RSU went up 62-61 on a free throw before the Ciabattoni game-winning basket.
Ciabattoni scored a game-high 16 points and added three blocks and two steals.
Shekeira Copeland totaled 12 points on 5-of-6 shooting.
Cierra Tjaden dished out a game-high eight assists.
NU was hot in the first half from the field, shooting 54.2 percent (13-24), but the Lady Jets cooled off in the second half, going 28.6 percent (8-28) from the field. For the game, NU shot 40.4 percent (21-52).
The Lady Jets take on UA-Fort Smith on Saturday (Jan. 11) at 1 p.m. inside Fugate Gymnasium.
