Game #5
Fort Hays State Tigers (0-3, 0-3 MIAA) at Newman Jets (1-3, 1-3 MIAA)
Saturday, Dec. 12 • 3:30 P.M. Wichita, Kan. • Fugate Gymnasium
Series Record: FHSU leads series 12-2 Last Meeting: Feb. 29^th, 2020 FHSU 79 NU 69 in Wichita, Kan.
Internet Audio: Newmanjets.com/listen Internet Video: themiaanetwork.com/newman
Up Next: vs Central Oklahoma • Sat. Dec. 19 • 3:30 P.M. • Wichita, Kan.
 
LAST TIME OUT
With the Jets leading 10-9 early in the first half, Newman would go on a 8-0 run to take an 18-9 advantage with 11:47 left in the first half.  The Lopers (1-3, 1-3) would respond with a run of their own as they would cut the Jets lead to 1, 18-17 just a little over a minute later. Nebraska Kearney would go on another run and take the lead 29-20 with 3:49 left in the first half.  Newman was able to score the final six points of the quarter to cut the Loper lead to three 29-26 going into the half.  Newman would start the second half by going on a 6-0 run after two three point baskets by Jorge Oliva and Branden Bunn to give the Jets the lead 32-29.  Nebraska Kearney would respond and retake the lead with 33-32 with 17:44 left.  Late in the half, the Jets would score four points to take a 58-57 lead before UNK would answer with a three point basket to take it back 60-58 with 2:15 left.  After Nebraska Kearney made one of two free throws to give them a 61-58 lead, Branden Bunn would knock down a big three point basket to tie the game up at 61 with 46 seconds left. Nebraska Kearney would come down on the ensuing possession and miss a shot giving the Jets a chance to take the lead. Newman had the ball with 8 seconds left and after the timeout drew up a play getting Joel Boyce open on a back cut as he would make the basket and draw a foul. Boyce would make the free throw as the Jets would hold on for a 64-61 win.

THE COACHES
RJ Allen is in his fourth season as the head coach and tenth on the staff for the Jets. Allen is 0-3, 0-3 in the MIAA in his fourth season at Newman. Last season under coach Allen, the Jets went 9-19 and 3-16 in the MIAA.  Allen has led Newman to a 34-23 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 Johnson enters his 20th season as head coach of the Fort Hays State University Men's basketball program in 2020-21. He is the all-time coaching wins leader in FHSU history with a career record of 373-186, ranking among the Top 30 active NCAA Division II men's basketball coaches in winning percentage (.667). Johnson has led the Tigers to seven NCAA Tournament appearances in his time at FHSU.

ABOUT THE JETS
Newman is 1-3 on the season, 1-3 in the MIAA.  Newman is led in scoring by Junior guard Branden Bunn at 15.8 points per game.  Joel Boyce leads the Jets in rebounding at 7.0 rebounds per game. 

ABOUT THE TIGERS
Fort Hays State is 0-3 on the season, 0-3 in the MIAA. Fort Hays State is led in scoring by Jared Vitztum at 21.7 points per game. Jared Vitztum also leads the Tigers in Rebounding at 11.3 rebounds per game.

SERIES HISTORY
This will be the 15^th meeting between these schools with the Tigers leading the series 12-2 over Newman including the season series last season.

LAST TIME VS FORT HAYS STATE
In the first half, Newman would get the scoring started with a three point basket by Juwan Davenport to give the Jets and early lead. Both teams would exchange baskets until Fort Hays State (14-14, 7-12) took a 6 point lead, 14-8 at the 13:24 mark.  Newman would respond as they would cut the deficit to one 14-13 with 11:09 left.  Both teams would continue the first half exchanging baskets and neither team gaining a big lead with Fort Hays State taking a 39-35 lead into the break.  In the half, Fort Hays State would go 14-23 from the field for 60.87%, while Newman shot 14-34 for 41.18% from the field.  In the second half, Fort Hays State would score the first basket with a three pointer to make the Tigers lead to 7 with 19:43 left.  Newman would answer scoring the next four points to cut the Tigers lead to three 42-39 with 17:33 left.  Newman continued to fight back but Fort Hays State would answer and cut the Jets momentum.  Fort Hays State continued to control the second half and would gain their largest lead on the game at the 6:10 mark at 11, 64-53.  Newman would storm back with a 12-2 run to get within a point 66-65 with 2:39 left. At this point things started to go downhill for the Jets, a flagrant 2 foul on Marshawn Blackmon causing him to get ejected, coach R.J Allen getting ejected after back to back technical fouls, plus a shooting foul that was committed at the same time gave Fort Hays State 8 straight free throws.  The Tigers were able to make half of the free throws to gain a five point lead with 2:12 left 70-65.  Fort Hays State would end the game on a 13-4 run and would defeat the Jets 79-69. 

UP NEXT
The Jets will conclude their homestand on Saturday, Dec. 19 as they host Central Oklahoma with tip-off at 3:30 PM.

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 is 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 find all things Newman in the Newman Jets Athletics app available in both the App Store and on Google Play.