Game #26

Emporia State Hornets (10-14, 4-11 MIAA) at Newman Jets (8-17, 2-14 MIAA)
Thursday, Feb. 20 • 7:30 P.M. Wichita, Kan. • Fugate Gymnasium
Series Record: NU leads series 7-3 Last Meeting: Jan.. 22, 2020 NU 75, ESU 71 in Emporia, Kan.
Internet Audio: Newmanjets.com/listen Internet Video: themiaanetwork.com/newman
Up Next: Nebraska-Kearney • Thursday Feb. 27 • 7:30 P.M. • Wichita, Kan.

LAST TIME OUT

Newman would score the first basket of the game with an Allen Wilson 3 pointer to gain the early advantage.  Central Oklahoma (8-17, 5-11) would control the first half, but the Jets were able to keep it close as UCO didn't get a double digit lead until 2:33 left when they would go up by 10 points. Central Oklahoma would end the half on a 15-7 run to take a 12 point lead into the half, 36-24.  In the second half, Newman would once again get the first basket of the period on a Marshawn Blackmon layup that would cut the deficit to 10, 39-29.  From the 16:52 mark, Central Oklahoma would go on a 13-2 run to gain a 20 point lead, 53-33 Kalin Johnson would end the run at 11:52 with a 3 point basket.  The Jets would the go on to give up a 10-3 run to UCO, allowing them to extend their lead to 24, 63-39 with just over 6 minutes left in regulation. Central Oklahoma would get their biggest lead of the day at 28, 77-49 with 32 seconds left, on their way to taking down the Jets, 77-51.

THE COACHES
RJ Allen is in his third season as the head coach and ninth on the staff for the Jets. Allen is 8-17 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.

Craig Doty is in his second season as the Head Men's Basketball Coach at Emporia State University.  In his first season, the Hornets broke the single-game scoring record by scoring 127 points in a game. In seven seasons as a head coach, Doty has won three national championships and has a 176-66 (.727) career head coaching record including a 79-42 (.653) mark in conference play. Doty's teams are an unprecedented 29-5 (.853) in post-season play.

ABOUT THE JETS
The Jets are 8-17 on the season, 2-14 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 9.4.

ABOUT THE HORNETS
Emporia State is 10-14 on the season, 4-11 in the MIAA. The Hornets are led in scoring by junior guard, Jumah'Ri Turner at 14.0 points per game. Brenden Van Dyke leads the Hornets in rebounding at 6.5 rebounds per game.

SERIES HISTORY
This will be the eleventh meeting between NU and ESU with Newman leading the series 7-3 with the Jets winning the last meeting 75-71 in Emporia, Kan.

LAST TIME VS EMPORIA STATE
In the first half, it was a back and forth game with neither team being able to gain much an advantage. After a steal late in the first half, Marshawn Blackmon broke away for a dunk to give the Jets their biggest lead of the half at 5 points with 7:55 left in the half.  Newman would go into the half trailing by 2 points, 29-27.  In the second half, the Hornets (9-8, 3-5) caught fire from three to take an 8 point lead with 17:00 left.  Newman would cut the deficit to 4 points with 14:20 left after a couple of free throws from David Javorsky.  Newman would take the lead back 51-50 with 8:54 left on a basket by Kaleb Allison to capped off a 9-0 run.  Free throws would be a factor for the Jets as they would go 21-of-23 from the line including 8-of-8 in the final minute.

UP NEXT
The Jets will return to action Thursday, Feb. 27 as they host Nebraska-Kearney with tip-off slated for 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!