CLAREMORE, Okla. – Rogers State outscored the Newman men's basketball team 51-40 in the second half to pull away for an 86-71 victory on Saturday (Jan. 24) at the Claremore Expo Center. The Jets drop to 8-8 and 4-6 in the Heartland Conference.
 
RSU scored the first six points in the second half to gain a 10-point 41-31 lead on the Jets a minute and a half into the second half. Including the last four points of the second half, the Hillcats went on a 10-0 run. A Reggie Baker jumper ended the run for a 41-33 score with 18:14 remaining, but the eight points were the closest the Jets got in the second half. The Hillcats hit a jumper for a 43-33 advantage and led by double digits for the rest of the second half.
 
The Hillcats shot 69.1 percent (16-23) in the second half. For the game, RSU shot 53.8 percent (28-52) from the field. They went 24-26 (92.3 percent) from the free throw line, including 94.7 percent (18-19) in the second half.  
 
NU started fast to open the game, scoring the first eight points to open an 8-0 advantage. Reggie Baker started the scoring with a layup 30 seconds into the game, and James Pegues scored on a layup 1 minute in. Jeremy Espinoza hit back-to-back baskets for the 8-0 score at the 16:19 mark. After RSU's first points, Ryan McCarthy hit a 3-pointer for an 11-2 lead, the Jets largest of the first half.
 
With the Jets still up by nine, 15-6, a 13-2 run by the home team put the Hillcats up, 19-17. RSU hit three 3s during the run. The first half continued to be close with the Jets up 31-30 with 1:43 remaining after a McCarthy jumper. Five straight RSU points to end the half put them up 35-31 at the break.
 
Baker scored a team-high 24 points. The junior guard was 7-of-8 from 2, but went 0-for-6 from 3-point distance. McCarthy added 20 points. He hit two 3s. Baker blocked a game-high three shots. Pegues totaled 10 points and six rebounds, a team high in boards. Also in double figures was Espinoza with 10 points.
 
The Jets shot 41.1 percent (23-56) from the field, but only 19 percent (4-21) from 3-point distance. NU hit only one 3-pointer in the second half, going 1-11 (9.1 percent). The Jets struggled with turnovers, committing 18 in the game, one turnover off the season high of 19 against St. Edward's.
 
DesJuan Newtson scored a RSU team-high 22 points. J.C. Hartzler tallied 21 points, and Donald Moore scored 19 points. Frederico Santos totaled a double-double of 14 points and 17 rebounds.
 
The Jets return to Wichita for two Heartland Conference games next week. NU takes on Texas A&M International on Thursday (Jan. 29) at 7:30 p.m. inside Fugate Gymnasium. Live stats, video and audio will be available for the game.