FORT SMITH, Ark. — Hanging around enough to stay in the game, the Newman women's basketball team scored nine straight to force overtime, but suffered their first Heartland Conference loss in an 80-76 game at Arkansas-Fort Smith Saturday afternoon.
KEY SEQUENCE
A three-point play from Hannah Alexander in overtime sliced the deficit to two for the Jets (11-6, 3-1 Heartland), but the Lions (10-6, 3-1 Heartland) saw Lundon Williams nail a 3-pointer on the next trip down the floor. Williams did the same after Newman once again made it a one-possession game, allowing the hosts to slip away with the win.
HOW IT HAPPENED
-UAFS started the contest by netting the game's first eight points. A 3-pointer from Dede Johnson and baskets from Jazzmen Ortiz and Bria DeGrate helped the Jets get back in it with a 7-0 run to make it 10-9 seven minutes into the first quarter. Over the next six minutes though, the Lions went on a big run to open up a 28-16 lead by the 7:17 mark of the second.
-Newman outscored the hosts for the rest of the half to get back into the game. A DeGrate 3-pointer cut the deficit back to single digits, and after the teams traded baskets over the next three minutes, the Jets managed to get a 6-3 run to close the first half down just seven at 42-35.
-The Lions came back out for the second half with a 6-0 run, and led by at least eight throughout the third quarter. The lead ballooned to 11 with a 3-pointer to start the fourth, but the Jets stayed in it enough to use a 9-0 run over the final three minutes of regulation to tie it up and force overtime.
-Nia Roberts netted five points during that run, and Haley Albers' sank a jumper with 24 ticks left to draw even. UAFS scored the first five points to take control in the extra session, and despite Alexander and DeGrate combining for nine points, the hosts held on.
NOTES
-Alexander netted 29 points to lead all scorers. The senior got her points on 13-of-24 shooting from the floor, and didn't attempt a free throw until overtime.
-Mel George got a season-high in minutes, playing 16 and making them count with a career-high 13 rebounds.
WHAT'S NEXT
The Jets gear up for their longest roadtrip of the season, beginning Thursday at St. Mary's.
