Game #28

Fort Hays State (13-14, 6-12 MIAA) at Newman Jets (9-18, 3-15 MIAA)
Saturday Feb. 29 • 3:30 P.M. Wichita, Kan. • Fugate Gymnasium
Series Record: FHSU leads series 11-2 Last Meeting: Feb. 6^th, 2020 NU 72, FHSU 79 in Hays, Kan.
Internet Audio: Newmanjets.com/listen Internet Video: themiaanetwork.com/newman
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LAST TIME OUT

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. 

THE COACHES
RJ Allen is in his third season as the head coach and ninth on the staff for the Jets. Allen is 9-18, 3-15 in the MIAA in his third season at Newman and first in the new conference. Allen has led Newman to a 36-26 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 19th season as head coach of the Fort Hays State University men's basketball program in 2019-20. He is the all-time coaching wins leader in FHSU history with a career record of 363-175, ranking among the Top 30 active NCAA Division II men's basketball coaches in winning percentage (.676). Johnson has led the Tigers to seven NCAA Tournament appearances in his time at FHSU.

ABOUT THE JETS
The Jets are 9-18 on the season, 3-15 in the MIAA. Newman is led in scoring by senior forward, Marshawn Blackmon at 17.7 points per game. Blackmon also leads the Jets in rebounding as he is averaging 9.1 rebounds per game.

ABOUT THE TIGERS
Fort Hays State is 13-14 on the season, 6-12 in the MIAA. The Tigers are led in scoring by junior forward, Jared Vitztum at 14.2 points per game. Vitztim also leads the Tigers in rebounding at 7.9 per game.

SERIES HISTORY
The Tigers lead the series between the two teams winning 11 of the last 13 meetings. With the Tigers defeating the Jets 79-72 a couple weeks ago.

LAST TIME AGAINST THE TIGERS
In the first half, Newman would start the game on a 7-0 run to gain the early lead.  Newman would control the game for the next ten minutes until Fort Hays State would take the lead with 8:37 left, 19-18.  With the game tied at 19, Fort Hays State (10-11, 3-9 MIAA) would go on a 10-3 run to gain a 7 point advantage with 5:06 left in the first half, 29-22.  Newman would try to cut into the deficit before the half, but Fort Hays State would take a 6 point lead into the intermission.  In the second half, Newman would claw their way back into the game after trailing by 8 points, to tie the game at 52 with 11:07 left.  For the next few minutes, both teams would trade baskets back and forth.  With the game tied at 63 with 6:02 left, Newman struggled to keep the offense going as they were outscored 16-9 in the final six minutes and would fall to Fort Hays State 79-72.

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!