WICHITA, Kan. — Answering a challenge on multiple occasions, the Newman women's basketball team played right with No. 2 Lubbock Christian the entire way Thursday night before falling at the end of a tight 73-66 contest at Fugate Gymnasium.
KEY SEQUENCE
The Jets (13-8, 4-3 Heartland) overcame a double-digit deficit to turn it into a tight game for the third separate time on the night to make it 69-66 with 1:27 to play. The hosts got chances against the Lady Chaparrals (18-1, 7-0 Heartland), but LCU converted on four free throws in the final 13 seconds to hold on for their closest Heartland win of the season.
HOW IT HAPPENED
-Each team got off to a slow start, with Erica Olerich tying it up at just 5-5 with a three-point play over three minutes into the game. The Chaps chipped away from there though, going out on a 10-0 run to make it a 15-5 lead four minutes later. Haley Albers momentarily halted that momentum, but the guests turned right back around for another seven straight points.
-Starting in the final moments of the first quarter, Hannah Alexander started Newman's response, netting six straight points to cut the deficit back to single digits on the first basket of the second period. While the Jets never went on any extended runs during that stretch, they were able to cut it the whole way down to two throughout the second.
-LCU again used a run, this time scoring the final nine points of the first half to shoot back out to a 43-32 lead. A Nia Roberts 3-pointer sliced it back to a six-point game at the 7:13 mark of the third quarter, and an Albers trey followed by a Bria DeGrate bucket slashed it to five with 3:49 left in the frame.
-Alexander capped the third with a jumper, making it a 58-54 game heading into the final 10 minutes. From the first point of the final stanza, the teams each went on a big run, with the Chaps netting nine straight to turn it into a 13-point lead at 67-54. Newman answered once again though, as Alexander netted six points and DeGrate another four to make it a 69-66 game with 1:27 to play before LCU iced it.
NOTES
-The Chaps and Jets have now met in four straight games decided by seven or fewer points.
-Alexander turned in a team-high 22 points on 10-of-18 shooting, adding four rebounds and matching a season-high with five assists.
-The Jets won the rebounding battle 35-32 against LCU. They are the first Heartland opponent to do so against the Chaps, who came in averaging 15.7 more boards per game than league foes.
WHAT'S NEXT
The Jets look to get back in the win column as they begin the second half of Heartland Conference play Saturday afternoon against Oklahoma Christian back at Fugate Gymnasium.
