WICHITA, Kan. - The Lady Jets hosted the Lopers of Nebraska Kearney Thursday evening looking to keep their chance of making it to Kansas City next week for the MIAA Tournament alive. With 4.1 seconds left in the game, Kaitlyn Potter would escape a double team in the corner and bank in a shot with .6 seconds left to help give the Jets a 66-65 win over Nebraska-Kearney. 

Newman would fall behind early in the contest as the Lopers would start the game on a 10-0 run.  The Jets would respond as they would go on a run themselves scoring the next 8 points to make the Lopers lead two, 10-8 with 4:52 left in the first quarter.  UNK would end the first quarter on a 8-4 run to take a 18-12 lead at the end of the first quarter.  In the second quarter, the Lopers would take control leading by as many as 14 points, 26-12 at the 7:39 mark.  With 2:06 left in the first half and Nebraska Kearney leading 34-24, the Jets would finish the quarter on a 7-0 run to trail by three at the intermission.

In the second half, Newman would start the scoring off with an Abbey George layup to make the score 34-33 at the 9:40 mark in the third quarter.  Nebraska-Kearney (25-4, 14-4) controlled most of the third quarter, but Newman kept fighting, eventually tying the game at 45 with 2:24 left in the third quarter.  Newman would get its first lead of the game after two free throws from Haley Albers would give the Jets a 47-45 lead with 1:43 left in the quarter.  Both teams would exchange baskets and Newman would take a 1 point lead into the fourth quarter.

In the fourth quarter, with the Lopers leading 60-55, Kaitlyn Potter hit a 3 point basket to cut the deficit to two 60-58 with 1:50 left.  UNK would follow hitting a jumper to make the lead back to four with 1:33 left.  Another Kaitlyn Potter three point basket would cut the deficit back to one, 62-61 with 36 seconds left.  The Lopers would go one of two from the line to go ahead by two, 63-61.  With 24 seconds left, Newman would come down the court looking to get the win. After a missed three point attempt by Madison Birnbaum, Michaela Mack would get the offensive rebound, make the put back and get fouled, giving her the chance at a three point play. Mack would make the free throw to give the Jets the lead with four seconds left.

On the ensuing possession, the Jets would commit a foul while the ball was out of bounds giving the Lopers a chance to take the lead, they would make both free throws to take a 65-64 with 4.1 seconds left.  After a timeout by the Jets, Newman had one more shot as Kaitlyn Potter would escape a double team in the corner by her bench and bank in a floater with .6 seconds remaining on the clock to give the Jets the lead 66-65. The Lopers tried to get a shot off, but would be unsuccessful as the Jets would upset Nebraska-Kearney 66-65 keeping their hopes of making the MIAA Tournament alive.

Newman (11-16, 6-12) shot 20-of-58 from the field for 34.5 percent, 9-of-27 from three for 33.3 percent and 17-of-21 from the free throw line for 81 percent. Nebraska-Kearney shot 25-of-57 from the field for 43.9 percent, 5-of-17 from three for 29.4 percent and 10-of-18 from the free throw line for 55.6 percent. The Jets were outrebounded by the Lopers by 4, 39-35.

Kaitlyn Potter would lead all scorers with 23 points.  Madison Birnbaum added 16 points and 4 rebounds and Brooke Haney added 11 points and 9 rebounds in the Jets win.

HOPES FOR KANSAS CITY ARE STILL ALIVE

The Jets fate is in their own hands, if they beat Fort Hays State on Saturday, they advance to Kansas City, If they lose, they are out and Northwest Missouri State moves on to Kansas City.

Newman will be back in action at home on Saturday, February 29th as they take on Fort Hays State with tip-off slated for 1:30 P.M. for Senior Day.