ALVA, Okla. — The Newman University men's basketball team held off a late scare from Northwestern Oklahoma State Tuesday evening (Dec. 4) picking up an impressive 66-62 win. The Jets have now won two straight games, improving to 6-4 on the year.
After a fast start from both teams to open the game, the Rangers held the early 8-7 lead with 15:46 to play in the half. The offense was hard to come by out of the timeout, as the Jets went on a 2:36 scoreless streak, until senior guard Ben Ayre hit a top of the key 3-pointer putting the Jets ahead 12-10 with 12:22 to play.
Midway through the half, the Rangers answered back with an 8-1 run, regaining the lead at 21-16 with eight minutes to play in the half. Out of the media timeout Dametrius Walker ended the Rangers run with a 7-0 run of his own putting the Jets back out in front 23-21 with 7:07 left in the half. The Jets went on to outscore the Rangers 14-4 in a span of 3:05, gaining their largest lead of half at 30-25 with 4:52 to play.
Senior, Christian DeYoung sparked the Jets off the bench hitting a 3-pointer with 2:14 to play keeping the Jets lead at five. The Jets continued to control the lead heading into the locker room at 39-36.
Ayre and DeAndre Johnson opened the second half with an 7-0 run of their own extending the Jets lead to 46-36 with 17:33 to play. The Jets continued to stay hot from outside as Juwan Davenport and DeYoung nailed the Jets second and third 3-pointers of the second half pushing the Jets lead back to 11.
Midway through the second half, the Rangers stormed all the way back with an 11-1 run in a span of 3:58 regaining the lead at 55-54 with 8:36 to play. The Jets climbed right back with a 4-0 run by Marshawn Blackmon putting the Jets back in front 58-55.
The Jets continued to control a 64-58 lead late down the stretch holding the Rangers scoreless in a span of 1:34. The Rangers continued to battle back cutting the Jets lead down to 64-62 with 35 seconds left to play, after consecutive Newman turnovers.
The Rangers had a chance to tie or win the game in the final seconds, but a corner 3-pointer sailed long off the rim into the hands of Ayre. Ayre sunk home both free throws with less than a second left securing the Jets 66-62 win.
Marshawn Blackmon and Ben Ayre led the Jets in scoring finishing with 14 apiece. Christian DeYoung sat a new season high adding in 11 points. Blackmon recorded his fourth double-double of the season.
The Jets will have 11 days off before they return to the court a week from Saturday (Dec. 15) against Kansas Christian. Tip-off is scheduled for 3 p.m. inside Fugate Gymnasium in Wichita, KS.
