Joplin, Mo.  – The Newman Jets traveled to Joplin, Mo. to take on #12 Missouri Southern State looking to split their road trip.  The Lions got a big lead early in the first half and never looked back and they took down the Jets 79-49.

In the first half, Missouri Southern State (13-2, 6-0) started the game on an 11-0 run to jump out to an early lead.  Marshawn Blackmon would stop the run with a layup. The Jets offense looked out of sorts for most of the game and the Lions would take advantage.  The Lions were in full control in the first half with their biggest lead coming after a 3 point basket by Parker Jennings gave MSSU a 27 point lead with 2 minutes left in the first half.  Newman would score the final four points of the half to cut the lead to 42-19 at the half, their largest halftime deficit of the season.

In the second half, the momentum was still in favor of the Lions as they would get their largest lead at 36 with 3:54 left in regulation. Newman was only outscored by 7 points in the second half compared to the 23 in the first half.  Missouri Southern controlled the game from the opening tip to the final buzzer as they would take down the Jets 79-49.

Newman (7-9, 1-6) shot 17-of-54 from the floor for 31.5 percent, 1-of-17 from three for 5.9 percent and 14-of-16 from the free throw line for 87.5 percent.  While Missouri Southern State shot 33-of-71 for 46.5 percent, and 8-of-28 from 3 for 28.6 percent.  The Jets were out-rebounded by the Lions by a margin of 12, 44-32.

Newman was led in scoring by Marshawn Blackmon for the fifth game in a row, as he was the Jets only double figures scorer with 15 points. Blackmon also pulled in 11 rebounds to notch his tenth double-double on the season.

Newman will look to rebound as they host Rogers State Wednesday, Jan. 15^th with tip-off slated for 7:30 P.M.