Men's Basketball | 2/19/2015 3:29:00 PM
WICHITA – The Newman men's basketball team looks to stay in the postseason race tonight against Heartland Conference-leading UA Fort Smith. Tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m. from Fugate Gymnasium. Live stats, video and audio will be available.
The Jets are currently two games back from spot in the Heartland Conference Tournament with four games remaining. UAFS and St. Mary's are currently tied for the No. 1 seed in the conference tournament with 11-5 records. St. Edward's and Texas-Permian Basin sit one game back at 10-6 and would be the third and fourth seeds in the tournament. The top four teams in the conference advance to the conference tournament. The Jets, along with Dallas Baptist, are in fifth place with 8-8 records.
NU is currently 12-10 overall and 8-8 in the conference. The Jets suffered a heart-breaking 90-86 loss at Dallas Baptist on Saturday (Feb. 14). Senior forward
Jeremy Espinoza totaled a team-high 22 points and 10 rebounds. All five NU starters were in double figures. On the season, junior guard
Reggie Baker leads the team in scoring at 21.0 points per game. He averages 6.1 rebounds per game. Espinoza adds 14.2 points and 6.0 rebounds per game.
Cortrael Colbert paces the Jets with 5.0 assists per game and totals 12.8 points per game.
The Lions are currently 15-9 and 11-5 in the Heartland Conference. They have won 10 of their last 12 games with their only losses at Lubbock Christian and at St. Mary's. During the streak, the Lions are 2-2 on the road and 8-0 at home. In their most recent contest, the Lions defeated Oklahoma Panhandle State, 110-56. Seth Youngblood scored a game-high 24 points and Kenny Martin pulled down 12 rebounds. Youngblood is UAFS's leading scoring at 17.6 points per game. He shots 49.3 percent and 44.4 percent from 3-point range. All five UAFS starters average in double figures. Martin adds 11.8 points and 8.8 rebounds per game.
In the previous meeting between the two teams this season, UAFS erased a late seven-point deficit to defeat the Jets on a late free throw, 90-89, in Fort Smith, Ark. on Feb. 22. Baker set a NU NCAA Division II school record with 36 points and eight 3s. Martin totaled 22 points and 16 rebounds.
After tonight's game, the Jets welcome Rogers State to Fugate Gymnasium on Saturday (Feb. 21) at 3 p.m.
