MARYVILLE, Mo. – After rearranging the schedule earlier in the week so that teams could make up postponed contests, the Jets found themselves taking on the Bearcats two days earlier than originally planned. Despite Newman battling back from a 14 point deficit in the first half and holding a lead for almost half of the second half, the #3 Bearcats would be too much for the Jets as they would hold on for an 81-70 victory.
 
Northwest Missouri State (9-1, 9-1)would start the game off on fire as they were able to open up a 14 point lead halfway through the opening period, 28-14. The Jets would respond with a 19-7 run led by Ian Lee with 6 points and Branden Bunn with 5 points to cut the Bearcat lead to just 2 points heading into the intermission, 35-33.
 
Newman would tie the game up with their first possession of the second half when Joel Boyce would make a layup. A Bunn three point basket would give the Jets their first lead 38-37 a little over a minute later. Newman would then go on a 12-8 run that stretched their lead to 5, 50-45 five and a half minutes into the final period. Bunn would lead that run scoring 5 points as Jacob Birnbaum would add 3 points of his own. NWMSU would cut into the lead, but Newman would stretch it back to five points with a layup by Bunn.
 
The Bearcats would tie the score up at 54 all just 40 second later and eventually take a 59-56 lead. DeAndre Johnson would answer with a made free throw followed by a dunk to tie the game back up at 59 with 6:13 left in the contest. The Bearcats would take the lead back on the ensuing possession and never look back as they would close out the game on a 22-11 run to take down the Jets, 81-70.
 
Newman (2-9, 2-9) was led in scoring by Joel Boyce with 16 points, Branden Bunn would add in 15 points as well. Ian Lee led the Jets in rebounding with 4. The Bearcats were led in scoring by Ryan Hawkins, who led all scorers, with 30 points. Diego Bernard added in 18 points for Northwest Missouri State. The Jets shot 23-41 for 56.1 percent from the field and 7-13 for 53.8 percent from behind the arc. Northwest Missouri State shot 30-49 from the field for 61.2 percent and 6-19 from behind the arc for 31.6 percent.
 
The Jets will be back in action on Thursday, January 28^th as they are set to host #7 ranked Washburn in their second straight game against a top 10 opponent with tip-off set for 7:30 pm inside Fugate Gymnasium.