CLAREMORE, Okla. – Sophomore Brianna Caldwell hit two free throws with 5.9 seconds remaining to lift the Newman women's basketball team to a 53-52 win at Rogers State on Saturday (Jan. 24) at the Claremore Expo Center. The Jets move to 6-11 and 3-6 in the Heartland Conference.
 
Caldwell, a sophomore guard from Wichita, went to the free throw line after getting fouled driving to the basket. She calmly knocked down both free throws with 5.9 seconds left to put the Jets up 53-52. The Hillcats got off a running jumper from just inside the 3-point line at the buzzer, but the shot missed and the Jets got the 53-52 win.
 
In a close second half, the Jets opened up a nine-point lead, hitting three straight 3-pointers. With the score tied at 34-34, Caldwell hit a 3 at the 11:05 mark for a 37-34 NU advantage. Cierra Tjaden followed with her own 3-pointer with 9:54 remaining, and Caldwell increased the lead to nine at 43-34 with a 3 at the 8:43 mark.
 
The Hillcats cut the deficit to three at 45-42 with back-to-back triples. The lead was only one at 47-46 after a RSU basket.
 
Caldwell hit again from 3 at the 5:45 mark for a 50-46 score. RSU split the deficit in half with a layup for a 50-48 NU lead. With 4:12 remaining, Mali Wright put NU up by three, 51-48, with 1-of-2 free throws.
 
RSU pulled to within one point at 51-50 with a layup with 4:07 remaining. The Hillcats took a 52-51 edge with 2:39 left on a Breanna Burford jumper.
 
The Jets fouled the Hillcats five straight times to send RSU's Kami Bunch to the free throw line with 24 seconds remaining. She missed the 1-and-1 free throw, and Caldwell grabbed the rebound, giving NU possession for the game-winning free throws.
 
In the first half with the Hillcats holding a slight 11-10 edge, NU went on an 11-0 run in the next three and a half times to gain a 21-11 lead with 8:53 left in the half. The spurt started with a Shakira Raynor layup. Mali Wright continued the run with two free throws. DeKendra Ledoux hit a jumper in the paint for a 16-11 score with 10:21 left in the half. Cierra Tjaden's layup upped the lead to seven, and the advantage moved to 10 points on a Brianna Caldwell 3 for a 21-11 score.
 
The 10 point lead was quickly erased by the 3-point shot from the Hillcats. RSU's Jade Hardy cut the deficit to seven at 23-16 with 5:20 remaining. After two Ledoux free throws upped the lead to 25-16, RSU's Jalissa Felici knocked down three straight 3-pointers to tie the score at 25-25. The score was 27-27 at halftime.
 
Caldwell scored a team-high 14 points, going 4-of-9 from 3-point range. Shakira Raynor added 10 points. DaJah Thompson pulled down a career-high 16 rebounds, one rebound off the NCAA Division II school rebound of 17 rebounds.
 
RSU's Felici totaled a game-high 16 points, hitting four 3s. Burford added 12 points.
 
The NU defense held RSU to 31.3 percent (20-64) from the field. NU outrebounded RSU, 46-41. The Jets finished shooting 32.1 percent (17-53) from the field.
 
The Jets return home for two straight games. NU plays Texas A&M International on Thursday (Jan. 29) at Fugate Gymnasium. Tip-off is set for 5:30 p.m. Live stats, video and audio will be available for the contest.