WICHITA, Kan. – Definitely not what the Newman women's basketball team had in store Saturday afternoon (Jan. 26) as the Hilltoppers of St. Edward's handed the Jets their largest defeat of the season 84-56. The Jets fall to 12-7 on the year and drop to 3-2 in Heartland Conference play, while the Hilltoppers improved to 10-10 on the year and move to 2-4 in the Heartland.

Bria DeGrate scored 18 points to lead the Jets in scoring, and also added in three rebounds and tallied two steals. Faith Mason-Vestal was the only other Jets player to reach double-digit scoring, finishing with 17 points, while collecting three rounds.

A rough shooting day for the Jets was the total opposite for the Hilltoppers of St. Edward's. The Hilltoppers gained full control in the opening period shooting an impressive .630 percent from the floor, making four treys en route to a 22-7 lead in the opening quarter. The Hilltoppers continued to shoot it red hot in the second quarter outscoring the Jets 25-16 taking a 47-23 lead into halftime.

Despite the Jets having back-to-back 16 point quarters in the second and third, the Hilltoppers offense continued to make whatever they fired up, scoring a third quarter high 29 points while dialing up four more triples.

With the game well out of reach in the final quarter the Jets' offense gained some late momentum, outscoring the Hilltoppers 15-4 over the final eight minutes. The Jets went on to outscore St. Edward's 17-8 in the fourth as Mason-Vestal recorded eight of her 17 points in the quarter.

Things will not get easier for the Jets as they continued their road trip Thursday evening (Jan. 31) against the top team in the Heartland Conference, the Lubbock Christian Chaparrals. Tip-off is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. inside the Rip Griffin Center in Lubbock, Texas.