Game #6
Fort Hays State Tigers (1-0, 1-0 MIAA) at Newman Jets (2-3, 2-3 MIAA)
Saturday, Dec. 12 • 1:30 P.M. Wichita, Kan. • Fugate Gymnasium
Series Record: FHSU leads series 9-1 Last Meeting: Feb. 29, 2020 FHSU 74 NU 48 in Wichita, Kan.
Internet Audio: Newmanjets.com/listen Internet Video: themiaanetwork.com/newman
Up Next: vs Central Oklahoma • Sat. Dec. 19 • 1:30 P.M. • Wichita, Kan.

LAST TIME OUT
Nebraska Kearney (3-0, 3-0) would get the scoring going with a three point basket to gain the early advantage.  The teams would go back and forth exchanging baskets with one another and with the Jets leading 12-10, the Lopers would score the final three points to gain a one point lead going into the second quarter.  In the second quarter, both teams continued to exchange baskets as we would head to the intermission with the score all square at 24-24.  The Lopers would start the second half going on a 7-0 run to gain a 31-24 lead.  After the Jets were able to cut into the Lopers lead numerous times in the quarter, Nebraska Kearney would end the third quarter on a 5-0 run taking a 41-33 lead into the final quarter. In the fourth quarter, the Lady Jets were able to cut the deficit down to three points with 1:59 left, 48-45.  The Jets had opportunities to tie the game late, but the shots didn't fall and with a few free throws by Nebraska Kearney, the Lopers would leave Wichita with a 53-47 victory over the Jets.

THE COACHES
Darin Spence begins his ninth season as the Jets head coach, leading the Jets to a 2-2, 2-2 in the MIAA record so far in the 2020-21 season. Spence has compiled a 592 wins as a head women's basketball coach over a 29-year span across NCAA Division I and Division II, NAIA, and NJCAA schools. His eight years with the Jets have seen him amass a record of 120-112 overall and a 59-53 mark in Heartland Conference play. Under Spence's tenure, the Jets reached the Heartland Conference tournament in six of his seven seasons. Before coming to Newman, Spence spent one season at Barton Community College and eight seasons at Division I New Mexico State.

Tony Hobson enters his 13th season as head coach of the Fort Hays State Women's basketball program in 2020-21. Hobson is one of the most successful collegiate women's basketball coaches in the nation, entering his 29th year overall with a career record of 673-207 (.765). He ranks eighth in win percentage among active coaches in NCAA Division II with a four-year college win percentage of .770 (471-141). Hobson is the winningest coach in program history, posting a record of 260-101 in 12 seasons at Fort Hays State (.720).

ABOUT THE JETS
Newman is 2-3 on the season, 2-3 in the MIAA. Newman is led in scoring by Senior Guard Brooke Haney at 11.4 points per game.  Madison Birnbaum leads the Jets in rebounding at 6.2 rebounds per game. Abbey George is only 3 rebounds away from being 2^nd in school history in rebounds in her career here at Newman.

ABOUT THE TIGERS
Fort Hays State is 1-0 on the season, 1-0 in the MIAA. The Tigers are led in scoring by Whitney Randall at 26 points per game. Katie Wagner leads the Tigers in rebounding at 8.0 rebounds per game.

SERIES HISTORY
This will be the eleventh meeting between these two schools with the Tigers leading the series 9-1 including the season series last year.

LAST TIME VS FORT HAYS STATE
In the first quarter, Newman would get the scoring started with a 3 point basket by Kaitlyn Potter and two free throws by Michaela Mack would give the Jets an early 5-0 lead.  Fort Hays State (22-6, 13-6) would answer right back tying the game at 5 with 5:30 left in the quarter.  Newman would respond by scoring the next four points to gain a 9-5 lead with 4:23 left in the quarter.  Both teams would go back and forth for the remainder of the quarter with the Jets taking a two point advantage into the first break, 14-12.  In the second quarter, both teams would back and forth, until the 5:37 mark, when Newman would score the next five points to take a 27-22 lead with 3:49 left in the quarter. Fort Hays State would go on a 20-2 run to end the first half, taking a 42-29 lead at the intermission.  In the second half, Newman would get the first basket thanks to a Faith Mason-Vestal layup to cut the deficit to 11 with 9:02 left in the third quarter.  Fort Hays State would then score the next six points to gain their largest lead at 17 with 5:40 left in the quarter, 48-31.  Newman continue to fight back, but Fort Hays State wouldn't let up as they took an 11 point lead heading into the fourth quarter, 50-39.  In the fourth quarter, Fort Hays State would go on a 9-0 run to start the quarter to extend their lead to 20 points, 59-39. The Jets would stop the run with a three point basket by Braxtyn Stewart to cut the deficit to 17 at the 4:28 mark. Fort Hays State would continue to pressure the Jets as they would take their largest lead of the game, 26 points with 33 seconds left.  That would be the final score in this contest as Fort Hays State would defeat the Jets 74-48 ending the Jets hopes of going to Kansas City.

UP NEXT
The Jets will conclude their homestand as they host Central Oklahoma on Saturday, Dec. 19 with tip-off at 1:30 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.