Game #14

Central Missouri Mules (6-6, 1-2 MIAA) at Newman Jets (6-7, 0-4 MIAA)
Monday, Jan. 6 • 7:30 P.M. Wichita, Kan. • Fugate Gymnasium
Series Record: UCM leads the series 1-0 Last Meeting: Nov. 25, 2017 NU 63, UCM 71 in Emporia, Kan.
Internet Audio: Newmanjets.com/listen Internet Video: themiaanetwork.com/newman
Up Next: Pittsburg State • Thurs. Jan. 9 • 7:30 P.M. • Pittsburg, Kan.

LAST TIME OUT
Last time on the floor, the Jets dropped their second game in a row by 2 points. For most of the first half, it was back and forth with neither team gaining much of a lead. Trailing by 7, Newman would make a comeback to take the lead 26-25 with 6:41 left. Lincoln (5-7, 2-1) would weather the storm and make a run of their own to take a 31-29 lead into the intermission. In the second half, Newman would respond as they gained their largest lead of the game, 52-46 lead with 9:46 left. Back to back turnovers and some missed shots gave Lincoln the chance to get back into the game and make a run of their own as they got the lead back with 5:21 left, 56-54. It was back and forth for the rest of the second half and much of the overtime period until Cameron Potts got past the Newman defense and made a layup with four seconds left to give the Blue Tigers the 74-72 win.

THE COACHES
RJ Allen is in his third season as the head coach and ninth on the staff for the Jets. Allen is 6-7 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.
Doug Karleskint is in his sixth season as head coach of the Central Missouri men's basketball program in 2019-20. Karleskint's Mules have won 20 or more games three times in five years. His 25 wins in 2014-15 are the most ever for a first-year head coach in program history as the Mules advanced to the second round of the NCAA Regional Championship. Karleskint has also led the Mules to an MIAA Championship game and four MIAA Tournament appearances. 

ABOUT THE JETS
The Jets are 6-7 on the season, 0-4 in the MIAA. Newman is led in scoring by senior forward, Marshawn Blackmon at 17.2 points per game and Juwan Davenport at 12.5 points per game. Blackmon also leads the Jets in rebounding as he is averaging just under 10 per game at 9.5.

ABOUT THE MULES
Central Missouri is 6-6 on the season, 1-2 in the MIAA. The Mules are led in scoring by sophomore forward, Gaven Pinkley at 13.8 points per game. Pinkley also leads the Mules in rebounding at 6.1 rebounds per game.

SERIES HISTORY
This will be the second meeting between NU and UCM with the Mules winning the first game by 8 points in a neutral court matchup 71-63.

LAST TIME VS CENTRAL MISSOURI
Early in the first half, the Jets were holding on to a controlling lead but with about eleven minutes left in the half, the Mules were beginning to make a comeback. The Jets weren't going away just yet, the team continued to add to their lead with the help of Ayre, Walker, and Sands who all helped keep the team up offensively and defensively. With 2:36 left in the half, the Mules were looking at a 32-25 lead heading into halftime, the Jets were looking to pick up their defense before the half was over to get some stops and cut the deficit at the half. The Jets were able to get a last-second 3-pointer from Damien Akao to go into the half down by four. Early in the second half, the Jets were able to get the deficit down to one with the help from a 3-pointer from Ayre. After that 3, the teams would keep it close the lead would stay within five, until 14:42 when the Mules got a free throw from Clearance Smith giving the Mules a seven-point lead. Later in the half the Mules, with a 10-point lead, would begin to add on to that lead, keeping the Jets on their toes. Newman was not going to lay down, as the team was able to continue to play strong, getting the lead down to single digits. The Jets continued until 15 seconds left in the game, when Blake Spellman would hit a free throw giving the Mules a 10-point lead and the victory.

UP NEXT
The Jets will take on the Pittsburg State University on Thursday Jan. 9^th, 2020 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.