Game #18

Northeastern State Riverhawks (11-6, 4-4) at Newman Jets (7-10, 1-7 MIAA)
Saturday, Jan. 18 • 3:30 P.M. Wichita, Kan. • Fugate Gymnasium
Series Record: NSU leads series 2-1 Last Meeting: Dec. 5, 2019 NU 67, NSU 70 in Tahlequah, Okla.
Internet Audio: Newmanjets.com/listen Internet Video: themiaanetwork.com/newman
Up Next: Emporia State • Wed. Jan. 22 • 7:30 P.M. • Emporia, Kan.

LAST TIME OUT

In the first half, Rogers State started the game on an 12-4 run to jump out to an early lead. A free throw by Omar Boone would stop the run with 15:44 left. The Jets would cut the deficit to 5 with 13:36 left on a jumper by Marshawn Blackmon. Rogers State would take control as they would outscore the Jets 25-16 for the remainder of the half to take a 39-25 lead into the intermission.  In the second half, the Hillcats would keep the momentum as they would slowly build their lead to 30 with 2:49 left in regulation. Newman was only outscored by 9 points in the second half compared to the 14 in the first half.

THE COACHES
RJ Allen is in his third season as the head coach and ninth on the staff for the Jets. Allen is 7-10 in his third season at Newman. Allen has led Newman to a 36-25 overall record and a 21-11 Heartland Conference record over his first two seasons. Allen won Heartland Conference Coach of the Year honors in the 2017-18 season, he was the first coach to win the award in their first season. Prior to Newman, Allen spent 5 season as an assistant coach at Concordia University in St. Paul, Minn.

Mark Downey is 11-6 in his first year at the helm of the Riverhawks.

ABOUT THE JETS
The Jets are 7-10 on the season, 1-7 in the MIAA. Newman is led in scoring by senior forward, Marshawn Blackmon at 16.9 points per game. Blackmon also leads the Jets in rebounding as he is averaging just under 10 per game at 9.8.

ABOUT THE RIVERHAWKS
Northeastern State is 11-6 on the season, 4-4 in the MIAA. The Riverhawks are led in scoring by senior guard, Caleb Smith at 15.9 points per game. Aaron Givens leads the Riverhawks in rebounding at 6.7 rebounds per game.

SERIES HISTORY
This will be the fourth meeting between NU and NSU with Northeastern State leading the series 2-1 with the Riverhawks winning the last meeting in a thriller 70-67 earlier this season in Tahlequah, Okla.

LAST TIME VS NORTHEASTERN STATE
Northeastern State (8-1,1-0) was able to build up a 9 point lead early in the first half before the Jets started to catch fire. From the 12 minute mark in the first half, Newman would go on a 22-7 run to close out the half. The big run would be started off by Marshawn Blackmon who would score 4 straight points for the Jets. Juwan Davenport would add 11 points by himself in the run as Omar Boone had 5 and Tyjil Hereford had the other 2. Newman shot 13 of 31 from the field for 42 percent and 5 of 11 from three for 45 percent, while NSU shot 11-25 from the field for 44 percent and 2-8 from three for 25 percent in the first half.  After holding the Riverhawks scoreless for the last 2 minutes of the first half, Newman scored the first 7 points of the second half to build the biggest lead for either team and they were able to hold NSU scoreless for the first three and a half minutes of the second half for a total of over five and a half scoreless minutes of play for Northeastern State. Blackmon led the way early for the Jets as he scored the teams first five points of the second period. In the final 4:25, Newman was outscored 10-1, before Wilson drilled a game tying three with five ticks left on the clock to send the game to overtime.  Northeastern State would come out firing in the overtime period as they would jump out to an early six point lead. A Davenport three and two Boone free throws would cut the Riverhawk lead to 1 with a minute twenty to play. Newman would foul down 1 with 15 second to play sending NSU to the free throw line where Bradley George would make the first free throw but miss the second, however, the Riverhawks were able to secure the offensive rebound forcing the Jets to foul them again. With 11 seconds left on the clock, NSU's Brad Davis would make two free throws putting the Jets behind by 4 points. Blackmon wasn't ready to go home quite yet as he came down and drilled a three pointer to cut the deficit back to 1 point. The Jets would be forced to foul Davis again and he would once again make both free throws. Newman was able to get a shot off but couldn't get it to fall giving the Riverhawks their first conference victory of the season.

UP NEXT
The Jets will travel to Emporia, Kan. to take on Emporia State University on Wednesday, Jan. 22nd at 7:30 P.M. for another MIAA Conference matchup.

LISTEN, WATCH & FOLLOW LIVE
Video streams for all of Newman's regular season contests are available on a pay per view basis on the MIAA Network. Events are available live and are immediately archived for on-demand viewing at the conclusion of the event at www.themiaanetwork.com/newman and on the MIAA Network apps for Amazon Fire TV, Android TV, Apple TV and Roku. Listen along to all of the Newman Jets games on The Jets Audio Network with Blake Cripps on the call at newmanjets.com/listen. You can now find all things Newman in the Newman Jets Athletics app available in both the App Store and on Google Play. For all of your Newman Jets Athletics apparel needs visit nujetsgear.com!