CLAREMORE, Okla. – Finishing out its first conference road trip of the season Monday afternoon, the Newman women's basketball team took on Rogers State at the Claremore Expo Center and won 74-61 to capture its first Heartland Conference victory.  
 
KEY SEQUENCE
 
The Jets (11-5, 1-3 Heartland) led 51-50 heading into the fourth quarter of play against the Hillcats (5-9, 1-2 Heartland) but a 14-0 run to begin the fourth quarter would be the determining factor in the game, which gave Newman enough cushion in the final minutes of regulation to outlast Rogers State.
                                 
HOW IT HAPPENED
 
-A Mali Wright layup would be the first basket of the game for either team, Newman would get out to an early 8-5 lead over Rogers State with another Wright basket.
 
-The Jets would close out the first quarter of play on a 10-3 run, Hannah Alexander would contribute six points, while Bria DeGrate and Sheanna James both added two points each to give Newman a 22-16 to end the first quarter.
 
-Alexander would open up the second quarter by scoring five straight points for Newman by way of a jumper and a 3-pointer to give the Jets their biggest lead of the first half at 27-16 with 9:26 to play in the second quarter.
 
-The Hillcats would crawl back into the game halfway through the second quarter to retake the lead at 28-27 but layup from Jazzmen Ortiz would tie things up in the waning seconds of the second quarter and put the score at 35-35 heading into halftime.
 
-The third quarter would be back and forth with seven lead changes and four ties throughout the duration of the quarter. Newman would get its biggest lead of the quarter at 45-41 with a jumper from Alexander and another Alexander jumper would give the Jets a 51-50 lead at the end of the quarter.
 
-A quick basket from a Hillcat player to begin the final quarter of play would give them a 52-51 lead but that would be the only score for Rogers State for the next six minutes because Newman would precede to go on a 14-0 run to open things up.
 
-The 14-0 run for the Jets got started by a layup from Cierra Tjaden plus a free throw from the foul. A free throw from Wright and a layup from Natalia Hausmann followed by two made free throws from Alexander made the score 59-52. DeGrate would make one of two from the line, while Hausmann and Ortiz connected on both of their attempts to complete the 14-0 run for Newman and put the score at 64-52 with 3:46 left in the contest.
 
-The Jets would take advantage of their trips to the free throw line in the final minutes of the game by going 10-of-12 from the foul line during that span, which put the final score at 74-61.
 
LEADERS
 
Newman
Points: Alexander, 24. Assists: Ortiz, 2. Rebounds: Wright, 11. Blocks: Wright, 2. Steals: Alexander, 5.
 
Rogers State
Points: Lauren Schuldt, 18. Assists: Rachel Block. Rebounds: Schuldt, 16. Blocks: Schuldt, 2. Steals: Block, 1.
 
NOTES
 
-With the win today the Jets earned their first conference victory of the season.
 
-Alexander set a career-high in points with 24 today, her previous high was 23 back on Dec. 10 of this season at home against William Jewell. Alexander also recorded a career-high in steals today with five and her best before that was three on Nov. 25 against Metro State.
 
WHAT'S NEXT
 
Newman heads back home to continue conference play and takes on Oklahoma Panhandle State on Saturday.