Game #4
Nebraska Kearney Lopers (1-2, 1-2 MIAA) at Newman Jets (0-3, 0-3 MIAA)
Thursday, Dec. 10 • 7:30 P.M. Wichita, Kan. • Fugate Gymnasium
Series Record: UNK leads series 2-0 Last Meeting: Feb. 27th, 2020 UNK 66 NU 64 in Wichita, Kan.
Internet Audio: Newmanjets.com/listen Internet Video: themiaanetwork.com/newman
Up Next: vs Fort Hays State • Sat. Dec. 12 • 3:30 P.M. • Wichita, Kan.
LAST TIME OUT
Newman would fall behind early and struggle to get back into the game as they would not get the score closer than six points a feat that they accomplished just short of halfway through the first half. After the intermission, Washburn (4-0, 4-0) would continue to control every aspect of the game until the end.
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. Â 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.
Kevin Lofton is in his fifth season as head coach of Nebraska-Kearney Men's basketball program in 2020-21. Over the last four seasons, UNK has gone a combined 83-67 (55.33 win pct.), recording the program's first back-to-back 20-win seasons in a decade. The Lopers advanced to 2016 NCAA Tournament Round of 32 and reached the MIAA (Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Assoc.) Tournament semifinals twice. In five of the last six years Kearney has reached the MIAA Tournament quarterfinals in Kansas City.
ABOUT THE JETS
Newman is 0-3 on the season, 0-3 in the MIAA. Newman is led in scoring by Junior guard Branden Bunn at 17.3 points per game. Joel Boyce leads the Jets in rebounding at 7.0 rebounds per game.Â
ABOUT THE LOPERS
Nebraska Kearney is 1-2 on the season, 1-2 in the MIAA. Nebraska Kearney is led in scoring by Jake Walker at 20.0 points per game. Darrian Nebeker leads the Lopers in Rebounding at 7.3 rebounds per game.
SERIES HISTORY
This will be the 3rd all-time meeting between these schools with the Lopers leading the series 2-0 over Newman including the last matchup last season where the Lopers would defeat the Jets 66-64 in Wichita, Kan.
LAST TIME VS NEBRASKA KEARNEY
In the first half, Nebraska-Kearney (16-11, 10-8) would score the first five points of the game to take an early lead. An Allen Wilson Three Point Basket would stop the run. Both teams would exchange baskets until another Allen Wilson three point basket would give the Jets their first lead of the game, 12-10 with 13:15 left. After that basket, both team would continue going back and forth with neither team gaining much of an advantage. The largest lead for Newman in the first half was 4 points on a couple of occasions. With the score tied at 28, the Lopers would end the first half on a 5-2 run to gain a three point lead at the intermission, 33-30. In the second half, Newman would get the first basket with a Kaleb Allison layup. After that basket, UNK would control the game as they would stretch the lead to 9 points with 16:25 left. With 10:59 left and the score 49-41 in favor of the Lopers, Newman would be able to cut the deficit to four before UNK would go on a 5-0 run to get it back to 9 at the 9:12 mark, 54-45. After that, Newman would go on a 10-4 run, bringing the deficit to three with 3:25 left, 58-55. Both teams would exchange baskets with Newman gaining their first lead of the second half, 63-62, with 1:44 left when Marshawn Blackmon would get a steal and a breakaway dunk that would get the crowd into the game. With the game tied at 64 and the Jets inbounding the ball, UNK would steal the inbounds pass and get fouled, sending them to the free throw line with a chance to take the lead. The Lopers would hit both free throws to go up 66-64. The Jets would get one more possession, but couldn't get anything to fall as the Lopers would hold off the Jets for the 66-64.Â
UP NEXT
The Jets will continue their homestand on Saturday, Dec. 12 as they host Fort Hays State 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.
