WICHITA, Kan. – The Newman women's basketball team finally got to make up its home game against Lubbock Christian Monday evening at Fugate Gymnasium and did not disappoint the home crowd by winning a close 61-60 contest.
 
KEY SEQUENCE
 
After withstanding an 11-0 run from the Lady Chaps (10-9, 5-3 Heartland) that gave them back the lead in the fourth quarter, the Jets (14-8, 4-6 Heartland) rallied late in the game to tie the score at 57-57 from a Hannah Alexander layup. The play of the game came when Natalia Hausmann drilled a 3-pointer from the top of the key with 12 seconds to go to put Newman out in front 60-57. Mali Wright would sink a free throw with two seconds to go to seal the game at 61-57 but the final score would be 61-60 with a late 3-pointer going in at the buzzer.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
 
-Wright scored the first three Newman points of the game with a free throw and jumper to put the score at 7-3 in favor of Lubbock Christian and the Lady Chaps would hang on to a slight 15-13 lead at the end of the first quarter.
 
-The Jets would get their first lead of the game midway through the second quarter due to a 9-0 run. Wright got the run started with a jumper followed by a 3-pointer from Hausmann, while Wright got a layup to go and Bria DeGrate finished the 9-0 run with two free throws to put the score at 22-18 with 4:24 left in the second quarter.
 
-Newman would go on a quick 7-0 run right after its 9-0 run to push the lead out to 29-19 with 1:26 remaining in the second quarter. Melanie George and DeGrate both had layups, while Cierra Tjaden knocked down a 3-pointer to complete the run. The Jets would take a 31-24 lead into halftime.
 
-Back-to-back possessions midway through the third quarter would give the Jets a tie for their biggest lead of the game at 42-32. Wright swished a jumper and DeGrate drilled a 3-pointer to give Newman the 10-point lead with 4:41 to go in the third.
 
-The Lady Chaps would make things interesting by going on an 11-0 run that began in the final seconds of the third quarter and lasted until 7:56 was on the clock in the fourth quarter, which put the score at 48-46 in favor of Lubbock Christian.
 
-However, the Jets would rally to tie the score up twice in the last two minutes at 55-55 and 57-57. The biggest moment of the game happened when Hausmann hit a 3-pointer to give the Jets the lead for good at 60-57 with 12 seconds on the clock. Wright added a free throw to make the score 61-57 with two seconds left but a late 3-pointer from Lubbock Christian made the final score 61-60.
 
LEADERS
 
Newman
Points: Wright, 14. Assists: Iva Krstevska, 3. Rebounds: Tjaden, 14. Blocks: Hausmann, 1. Steals: DeGrate, 3.
 
Lubbock Christian
Points: Tess Bruffey, 25. Assists: Bailey Haist, 3. Rebounds: Bruffey, 11. Blocks: Hannah Harbin, 1. Steals: Olivia Robertson, 2.
 
NOTES
 
-Tjaden dominated on the glass tonight, recording a career-high in rebounds with 14. Her previous career-high came against Arkansas-Fort Smith last season in the 2016 Heartland Conference Tournament quarterfinals when she grabbed 11 boards.
 
-The win this evening over the defending Division II national champions is the first for the Jets since the 2014-15 season.
 
WHAT'S NEXT
 
Newman stays at home to take on Rogers State Thursday evening at Fugate Gymnasium.