Game #8
Newman Jets (2-5, 2-5 MIAA) at Northeastern State Riverhawks (2-6, 2-6 MIAA)
Saturday, Jan. 9 • 1:30 P.M. Tahlequah, Okla. • NSU Event Center
Series Record: NSU leads series 2-1 Last Meeting: Jan. 18^th , 2020 NU 59 NSU 53 in Wichita, Kan.
Internet Audio: https://goriverhawksgo.com/watch/?Live=117&type=Live
Internet Video: themiaanetwork.com/newman
Up Next: vs Lincoln • Thurs. Jan. 14 • 5:30 P.M. • Wichita, Kan.

LAST TIME OUT
Newman would start the scoring off with a jumper by Faith Mason-Vestal to gain the early advantage.  For most of the first quarter, Central Oklahoma would control the game taking a 14-8 lead going into the second quarter. Central Oklahoma would start the second quarter on a 7-0 run to gain a 13 point lead with 8:08 left in the first half.  The Jets were able to cut the deficit to 7 with 5:49 left 21-14.  The Jets would eventually tie up the game at 23 with a Brooke Haney 3 point basket with 1:48 left.  Central Oklahoma would end the first half on a 7-2 run to gain a five point lead going into half.  In the second half, both teams continued to battle, but UCO would gain an 11 point lead with 5:47 left in the third quarter, 39-28. The Jets were able to cut the deficit to 6 point with 3:08 left in the quarter after two free throws by Amoni White. UCO would control the rest of the third quarter and take a 8 point lead going into the final quarter, 47-39. In the final quarter, the Jets continued to fight back as they were able to eventually tie the game at 53 with 4:53 left. The Jets were able to eventually take the lead 56-55 after Faith Mason-Vestal made one of two free throws. In the final three minutes of play the Jets scoring woes showed up again as UCO would go on a 6-1 run to defeat the Jets 61-57.

THE COACHES
Darin Spence begins his ninth season as the Jets head coach, leading the Jets to a 2-5, 2-5 in the MIAA record so far in the 2020-21 season. Spence has compiled a 592 wins as a head women's basketball coach over a 29-year span across NCAA Division I and Division II, NAIA, and NJCAA schools. His eight years with the Jets have seen him amass a record of 120-112 overall and a 59-53 mark in Heartland Conference play. Under Spence's tenure, the Jets reached the Heartland Conference tournament in six of his seven seasons. Before coming to Newman, Spence spent one season at Barton Community College and eight seasons at Division I New Mexico State.
Fala Bullock is in her fourth season at the helm for Northeastern State. With eight years of head coaching experience Bullock is 119-133. Before being named the head coach of the Riverhawks, she was the head coach at Armstrong State University.

ABOUT THE JETS
Newman is 2-5 on the season, 2-5 in the MIAA. Newman is led in scoring by Senior Guard Brooke Haney at 13.6 points per game.  Madison Birnbaum leads the Jets in rebounding at 5.7 rebounds per game.

ABOUT THE RIVERHAWKS
Northeastern State is 2-6 on the season, 2-6 in the MIAA. The Riverhawks are led in scoring by Zaria Collins at 17.6 points per game. Cenia Hayes leads the Riverhawks in rebounding at 5.3 rebounds per game.

SERIES HISTORY
This will be the 4th meeting between these two schools with the Riverhawks leading the series 2-1 but the Jets won their last meeting between each other in January 18, 2020 59-53.

LAST TIME VS NORTHEASTERN STATE
Newman would start the game on a 7-0 run to get an early lead.  The Jets would dominate the first half outscoring Northeastern State (4-12, 2-7) 28-19, thanks to their outside shooting. The Jets went 3-5 from 3 point range in the first half compared to Northeastern State's 1-11. Newman in the first half, shot 12-24 from the field to help contribute to the 9 point lead at the break.  The Jets bench also outscoring the Riverhawks 34-21.  In the fourth quarter, the Jets would have their largest lead of the game at 16 points thanks to a basket by Abbey George with 9:22 left.  The Riverhawks were able to make things interesting in the fourth quarter. They would outscore the Jets 26-18 in the final quarter. NSU would cut the deficit to five points with 1:01 remaining, but Newman was able to hold the lead and get the 59-53 win over the Northeastern State. The Jets bench outscored the Riverhawks 34-21.

UP NEXT
The Jets will return home as they will host Lincoln on Thursday, January 14^th with tip-off at 5:30 PM.

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 is 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. You can find all things Newman in the Newman Jets Athletics app available in both the App Store and on Google Play.