WICHITA, Kan. – To wrap up the Hall of Fame games, the Newman men's basketball team would take on Arkansas-Fort Smith Saturday afternoon at Fugate Gymnasium but dropped a close 73-68 contest.
 
KEY SEQUENCE
 
After a hot start to the game for the Jets (7-15, 5-8 Heartland), the Lions (15-10, 8-5 Heartland) would keep hanging around and eventually take a lead over halfway through in the second half due to an 8-0 run and would hold on to win 73-68.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

-Christian DeYoung would get the first Newman points of the game with a 3-pointer to even up the score at 3-3 with 18:15 to play in the first half.
 
-The Jets would heat up on offense early in the first half by going on an impressive 16-0 run to go up 19-6 with 12:37 on the clock. Daniel Nwosu Jr. would lead the way with 10 points, including three 3-pointers, while Kevin Bryant added four points and Jacob Birnbaum with two to round out the scoring.
 
-The rest of the first half would be back-and-forth with both teams trading baskets in the final eight minutes of the half. Newman would outscore UAFS 16-14 in the final eight minutes of the first half to take a 43-33 lead into halftime. During that stretch the Jets went 5-of-9 from the field, while the Lions shot 4-of-13 from the floor.
 
-The first three baskets of the second half for the Jets were all 3-pointers, coming from DeYoung, Nwosu and Taylor Schieber. The Lions would get back into the game about halfway through the second half and only trail by one at 52-51, but a Daniel Green layup and a Nwosu jumper would put the score at 56-51 with 11:14 left in regulation.  
 
-The Lions would reclaim the lead at 60-59 with 8:13 to play and push the lead out to 65-60. Newman would respond with a 6-2 run to get within one point of the UAFS lead at 67-66 with 2:23 left in the game. During the run Green, Bryant and Schieber would all hit two free throws. However, UAFS would hang on to win 73-68.

LEADERS
 
Newman
Points: Nwosu, 24. Assists: Bryant, 6. Rebounds: Bryant, 9. Blocks: Birnbaum, 2. Steals: Nwosu, 2.
 
Arkansas-Fort Smith
Points: Marcus Wallace, 25. Assists: Wallace, 3. Rebounds: Kyree Elder, 9. Blocks: Brett Jolly, 1. Steals: Wallace, 3.

NOTES
 
-Nwosu recorded 24 points in the game, which is the ninth time this season that he has at least scored 20 points in a game.
 
-Bryant was one rebound away from recording a double-double, he also had 13 points in the game and led the Jets in assists with six.
 
-Newman continued its hot streak of shooting 3-pointers by hitting 12, which is the 10th time that the Jets have at least hit 10 threes in a game this season.

WHAT'S NEXT
 
The Jets play only one game next week, which is against Oklahoma Panhandle State on the road on Feb. 11.