WICHITA, Kan. –The Lady Jets returned home Thursday evening to host Lincoln University looking to snap a four game losing streak and get their first win of the new year inside Fugate Gymnasium.  The Jets were able to pull away in the fourth quarter to defeat the Blue Tigers by a score of 81-59. 

After falling behind early, the Jets would respond by making back-to-back three point baskets to take the 6-3 lead with 7:50 left in the first quarter. With the score 12-11 in favor of the Blue Tigers, Newman would go on a 7-0 run to gain the six point advantage with just over two minutes left in the opening quarter. The Blue Tigers would outscore the Jets 7-5 to close out the quarter as the Jets would take a 23-19 lead going into the second quarter. The Jets would start the quarter on a 8-2 run expanding their lead 31-21. Newman would be able to stretch their lead to as much as 11 points in the quarter before Lincoln would cut the Jets lead to 36-29 going into the intermission after scoring the final four points of the half.

Lincoln (0-8, 0-8) would begin the second half on a 6-2 run cutting the Jets lead to three, 38-35 just over two minutes into the half. Both teams would exchange baskets for most of the quarter and the Jets would go to the final period with a four point lead, 51-47. In the final period, the Jets would start to pull away with the contest as they would outscore the Blue Tigers 30-12 in the final period. Newman would gain their largest lead of the game after Amoni White made two free throws with 40 seconds left to give the Jets an 81-59 lead as the Jets would snap a four game losing streak.

The Jets shot 28-55 for 50.9 percent from the floor, 10-23 for 43.5 percent from three and 15-22 for 68.2 percent from the free throw line.  Newman (3-6, 3-6) held Lincoln to 23-52 for 44.2 percent from the field and 3-7 for 42.9 percent from three. Newman out-rebounded the Blue Tigers by 5, 35-30, with 6 coming on the offensive end. 

The Jets had four players in double figures in this contest with Abbey George leading the team with 15 points and 13 rebounds.  Faith Mason-Vestal added 14 points and 3 rebounds in the Jets win.

Game Notes
This was the Jets first 20 point win since 2018 when they beat Texas A&M International by 26 points. Madison Birnbaum had a career high in blocks with 5 and was the first person since Alexandra Ciabattoni in Feb. 2014 to have 5+ blocks in a game. This was the Jets first time scoring 80+ points since they played Lincoln in the 2019-20 season. Abbey George recorded her first career double-double and had a career high 13 rebounds. Rylee Meloy matched her career high assists total and Sydney Nilles set a career high assists total as they both tallied 5 assists in the contest.


Up Next:
Newman (3-6, 3-6) will host #14 Central Missouri on Saturday, Jan. 16^th with tip-off at 1:30 PM.