WICHITA, Kan. – The Newman University men's basketball team bounced back strongly with an impressive 78-63 victory over Arkansas-Fort Smith inside the Fugate gymnasium Saturday afternoon (Jan. 12). The Jets improve to 11-5 on the year and get back to 2-2 in the Heartland, while the Lions drop to 7-9 on the year and fall to 1-3 in the Heartland.
In the early portion of the contest the Jets got off to a rocky start as the Lions took an early 10-4 lead just under three minutes into the game after a 5-0 run. Shooting woes continued to haunt the Jets until Cameron Goldfinch provided some big minutes off the bench, knocking down a jumper stopping the Lions 9-2 run, as the Jets trailed 19-10. Goldfinch extended the Jets 6-0 run with a dunk off a beautiful assist from Allen Wilson cutting the Lions lead to 19-14 just before the midway point of the first half.
After starting the game shooting 0-8 from behind the three point line, Senior Christian DeYoung cut the Newman deficit down to one, 24-23 drilling the lone triple of the half for the Jets. Just two minutes later Tyjil Hereford knotted the score, up 27-27 just before the five minute mark after a steal leading to a layup on the other end. The Jets were unable to gain the lead late in the half, trailing at the break 36-33.
Despite being in foul trouble in the first half, guard Juwan Davenport caught fire scoring seven of the Jets first 16 points to begin the second half. The Jets used a 14-0 run to open the second half taking their largest lead, 49-38 just five minutes into the half.
The Lions would not laydown cutting the Jets lead to three, just before the ten minute mark in the second half after an 8-1 run. After a Lions steal and layup evened the score, 58-58 with seven minutes to play, senior Ben Ayre reigned in one of his two, second half triples putting the Jets back in front for good. Ayre was not done scoring nine of the Jets final 11 points down the stretch as the Jets cruised passed the Lions 78-63.
The Jets finished the game with four players in double-digit scoring. Ayre led the Jets scoring 16 of his 20 points in the second half while pulling down six rebounds. Dametrius Walker recorded 13 points and six rebounds off the bench in just 24 minutes. Marshawn Blackmon added in 12, while Johnson recorded his second double-double of the season finishing with 10 points and 10 rebounds.
The Jets will continue the homestead on Thursday evening (Jan. 17) at 7:30 p.m. as they host St. Mary's in Heartland Conference action.
