Games 3 & 4:  Newman (0-2, 0-0 MIAA) vs. Cameron (3-0, 0-0 LSC)
Friday, November 19, 2021 | 4:00 p.m. | Hays, Kan. (Gross Memorial Coliseum)
Audio:  None | Video:  MIAA Network
 
vs. St. Cloud State (0-0, 0-0 NSIC)
Saturday, November 20, 2021 | 2:00 p.m. | Hays, Kan. (Gross Memorial Coliseum)
Audio:  None | Video:  MIAA Network
 
GO WEST YOUNG LADIES
The Jets head to Hays, Kan. for their first contests of the year outside of Wichita this season.
 
LAST TIME OUT
Newman started the year 0-2 after home losses to Wayne State College and the University of Mary last weekend.  NU traded big runs with WSC in the season opener Saturday, November 13 but the Wildcats pulled away at the end for a 72-65 victory. 
Full Recap | Box Score
 
The Jets tasted defeat on Sunday as well in a 74-52 setback to UMary after the Marauders hit 10-of-26 3-point tries in the game.
Full Recap | Box Score
 
SCOUTING THE SQUADRON
Newman ended last year's pandemic-abbreviated season 4-18 while playing all 22 games within the MIAA.  The Jets return six players from a year ago, including two of their top three scorers from that team.  The Jets will suit up two seniors this season, but both are eligible to return for an additional year due to eligibility granted by the NCAA in response to the 2019-20 Coronavirus pandemic.  The Jets welcome six freshmen to the program and they are joined by one redshirt freshman, Elise Kaiser, a Hesston product who missed last season with a preseason knee injury.  Rounding out the NU roster are five juniors and two sophomores.  Transferring to join the new coaching staff are former Towanda High School Thunderbird Carissa Beck (Butler County), Russell High School product Tiffany Dortland (Bethel), Bishop Carroll Golden Eagle multi-sport star and Wichita native Britney Ho (Northeastern State), and former Goddard Lion Torri Vang (Cowley County).
 
TOP RETURNERS
Faith Mason-Vestal is the Jets' leading returning scorer after tallying 10.2 ppg a season ago.  She is also the top returning rebounder for NU after grabbing 4.7 rpg last season.  Mason-Vestal was also a steady scorer at the free throw line, logging the second-most makes last year while shooting 80% from the line.  She also turned into a defensive presence inside and led the Jet block party last season with a team-high 20 rejections.  Sydney Nilles returns at point guard to orchestrate the Jet offense after leading the Navy & Red with 64 assists last season as a freshman against just 58 turnovers.  She's also one of Newman's top returning defenders, logging the second-most steals for the Jets last year with 22 takeaways.  Makayla Hayes is the leading returning 3-point shooter off last year's squad after connecting 15 times on 63 attempts (24%) last season, though Nilles has the highest returning percentage after drilling 13 of 35 shots to shoot a team-high 37% from the arc last year.
 
BEHIND ENEMY LINES
Cameron enjoyed a bounce-back year in 2020-21 posting an 11-8 record while finishing 10-6 in the Lone Star Conference behind only Texas A&M Commerce in the North Division.  The Aggies ended a four-year stretch of losing records finishing above .500 for the first time since a 15-11 campaign in 2015-16.  The Aggies have notched a winning conference record in three of the last four seasons with at least 10 LSC victories in each of those three years.  Following a 3-1 start last year, Cameron slid to a four-game losing streak.  The Aggies showed resilience by ripping off six straight victories after that, winning 8 of 9 overall before dropping their last two contests of the year.  The Aggies are poised to take another big step this season, returning four of their top five scorers and rebounders from a year ago.  The Aggies' season ended in the second round of the NCAA Tournament with a 96-66 defeat to top-ranked and eventual national champion Lubbock Christian, a former Heartland Conference rival of the Jets.
 
The Aggies improved to 3-0 on the season with a 91-71 victory on Wednesday, November 17 over Lone Star Conference rival Midwestern State.  Stephanie Peterson led the Aggies with a career-high 26 points while reigning LSC Offensive Player of the Week Maighan Hedge added 19 points with seven assists.  The Aggies frustrated the MSU offense into 33 turnovers.  The Lone Star Conference is not counting the game in their conference standings.
 
St. Cloud State continued their recent run of success finishing 2020-21 at 12-6 while finishing second in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference North Division with a 7-3 record.  It was the fourth straight winning season for the Huskies and their 18^th straight year with at least 10 wins.  The Huskies also made their 12^th NCAA Tournament appearance last year, playing in the Big Dance for the second consecutive season.  After splitting its first four decisions of the year down the middle, the Huskies won eight of ten to end the year on a hot streak.  The Huskies season ended with back-to-back losses to Minnesota-Duluth in the NSIC Tournament championship game and to MIAA member Central Missouri in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.  The Huskies should come into the season brimming with confidence behind the return of four of their top five scorers and rebounders from last year's squad.
 
SCSU is getting a late start to the season with their matchup against the Fort Hays State Tigers and Jets this weekend serving as their season opener.  The Huskies did book an exhibition loss at South Dakota State 65-40 Wednesday, October 27 in Brookings, S.D.  St. Cloud State was up to the challenge early, leading the Jackrabbits 15-7 at the end of the first quarter, but the Jacks responded with a 5-for-5 start from the field in the second quarter to lead 28-22 at the half.  SDSU scored 20 points in the fourth to pull away for the victory while holding SCSU scoreless over the final 3:42 of the contest.  No box score was made available for the game.
 
THE SERIES
Cameron leads the all-time series 4-1.  This will be the first neutral-site matchup between the Aggies and the Jets.  NU's only win came on the road in Lawton, Okla. in a 75-70 triumph November 13, 2010.
 
This will be just the second meeting between the Huskies and the Jets with St. Cloud winning the previous contest at Lee Arena in Topeka, Kan.
 
PREVIOUS MATCHUP
Cameron spoiled the Jets season and home-opener by outscoring NU 25-9 in the first quarter and holding on for a 80-74 victory at Fugate Gymnasium November 9, 2018.  The Aggies shot 51% from the field and made 43% of their 3-pointers while the Jets shot a cool 36% for the game while making just 24% of their threes.  Bria DeGrate paced the Navy & Red with 18 points while Dede Johnson added 12.
Full Recap | Box Score
 
Neither team enjoyed a lead of double-digits until the final minutes as St. Cloud State wore down and outlasted the Jets 72-62 November 26, 2017 at the Parrish Hotels Thanksgiving Classic at Lee Arena in Topeka, Kan.  The teams battled to a 28-28 tie at the half and the Huskies pushed ahead to take a four-point lead to the final 10 minutes.  The Huskies quickly built the lead to nine early in the fourth and the Jets could never get the deficit lower than six the rest of the way.
Full Recap | Box Score
 
JOHNSON & JOHNSON
Newman begins a new era in 2021 as the Jets welcome Drew Johnson and Nicole Ohlde-Johnson to Wichita as the new leaders of Jets Women's Basketball.  The husband and wife team didn't have to travel far to Wichita, moving from just minutes up the road after spending four seasons at Bethel College where Drew was the head coach and Nicole was his associate head coach.  Drew Johnson compiled a 64-53 record in North Newton, while going 51-41 in Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference play.  Under their leadership, the Johnsons helped Bethel to its first ever 20-win season as the Threshers went 20-10 and hosted their first KCAC Tournament game inside Thresher Gym in 8 years.  In their final year at the helm, the Johnson led the Threshers to a 16-10 season while going 16-6 in the KCAC, delivering the program's first ever NAIA National Tournament appearance.
 
The Johnsons bring with them a wealth of basketball experience both on and off the court.  Ohlde-Johnson, a Clay Center, Kan. native, played collegiately at Kansas State University where she was a two-time first-team All-American and departed as the school's all-time leading scorer, rebounder, and shot blocker.  Ohlde-Johnson was drafted in the first round of the 2004 WNBA draft and played seven years in the league and helped the Phoenix Mercury win the 2009 WNBA title.  After playing in Europe, Ohlde-Johnson founded the Nicole Ohlde Basketball Academy with Drew serving as a player trainer and coach for the club competing on the AAU circuit.
 
Prior to becoming the Bethel head coach, Drew Johnson previously served on the high school girls basketball coaching staffs at Valley Center, Derby, and Clay Center High Schools in Kansas.  Johnson is a Wichita native and Friends University graduate.  Johnson was a two-year captain and four-year starter for the Falcons football program and earned All-KCAC honors as a punter.  As part of Ohlde Basketball Academy and Ohlde Elite, the Johnsons coached players that went on to play at all levels of basketball including the Big 12, Big East, Missouri Valley, MIAA, and KCAC.
 
MINING WITH THE AGGIES & HOWLING WITH THE HUSKIES
Emma Andrews begins her sixth year in Lawton, Okla. as the head coach of the Aggies in 2021-22.  She served the previous two seasons as the top assistant coach.  Andrews enters the year with a 56-76 career leader as a head coach, all with Cameron and a 47-51 record in Lone Star Conference play.  Andrews enjoyed her first winning season with the Aggies last year after guiding Cameron to an 11-8 record while going 10-6 in LSC action.  Under Andrews' guidance, the Aggies have made two appearances in the NCAA Tournament.  Last year was Andrews' first NCAA Tournament team as a head coach, but she was also on the bench when the Aggies appeared in the 2015 NCAA Tournament, Cameron's first since the 2001-02 season.  Andrews previously served as an assistant at Fresno State where the Bulldogs won back-to-back Mountain West Tournaments.  Andrews also played for four years at Fresno State and helped lead the Bulldogs to four Western Athletic Conference titles and four trips to the NCAA Tournament.
 
St. Cloud State is led by Lori Fish who is entering her 14^th season on the bench in St. Cloud, Minn.  Fish's record with the Huskies improved to 180-141 last season and she is now 129-119 in NSIC coming into the year.  She has recorded two 20+ win seasons and has claimed one NSIC Tournament title.  Fish boasts a career record of 242-194 including her four years spent at Minnesota State-Mankato from 2004 to 2008.  The Huskies have enjoyed four-straight winning seasons under Fish' leadership including her best year in 2019-20 when SCSU enjoyed a 23-7 season while finishing 16-6 in the NSIC.  Fish has led the Huskies to back-to-back NCAA Tournaments and three appearances overall.  A St. Cloud native, Fish played collegiately at South Dakota State while SDSU was a Division II program and competed against St. Cloud State in North Central Conference action.  Fish earned First Team All-Conference recognition as a junior and senior.  She began her coaching career at the high school level in Foley, Minn. for two seasons before joining SDSU as a graduate assistant.  She also spent time at Eastern Illinois before joining the Husky program for the first time in 1999.  In her final season at Minnesota State-Mankato, the Mavericks went 23-9 and finished in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament.
 
EW… GROSS…
The Jets are 0-8 at Gross Memorial Coliseum since joining the ranks of NCAA Division II.  Seven of the losses have come at the hands of Fort Hays State University in true road contests, five of which occurred as nonconference matchups before the Jets joined the MIAA for the 2019-20 season.  The other defeat came to then nonconference foe Nebraska-Kearney, now also a conference regular on the Jets' MIAA schedule.  The Navy & Red will be back in Hays to try to tame the Tigers on Sunday, December 19 for a 2:00 p.m. tipoff in NU's last game ahead of the Christmas break.  FHSU was ranked #4 in the preseason WBCA Coaches Poll after going 22-4 last year.
 
MISSED IT BY THAT MUCH
Newman found themselves on the wrong side of close games last year.  NU played eight games decided by 10 or fewer points a season ago.  After starting the year 2-0 in those contests, the Jets lost their last six.
 
MADE IN THE MIDWEST
The Jets didn't have to acquire any frequent-flyer miles to arrive on campus.  All 16 Jets hail from the Central Time Zone and represent just three different states.  Nine Jets stayed home in Kansas to play for NU, five made the trip north from Texas, and two came west from Missouri.
 
BRINGING THEIR 'A' GAME

• Sydney Nilles tied for 10^th in the MIAA averaging 2.9 apg a year ago.
• Nilles was also 10^th in the league in Assist/Turnover Ratio at 1.1
• Madison Birnbaum tied for seventh last year in steals averaging 1.7 per game.
• Newman was one of five MIAA teams to shoot 100% from the free throw line in a game last year, going 3-for-3 at the line in a 71-54 loss at Missouri Western.
• The Jets struggled to slow down Emporia State behind the arc a season ago.  The Lady Hornets stroked in 17 trifectas against the Jets in a 85-65 decision in Wichita, tied for the most three-balls allowed in the conference last year.

 
NU STATS N' STREAKS

• Newman ranked 14^th in the MIAA in scoring last season at 54 ppg and finished sixth defensively giving up 63.6 ppg.  Wayne State was the eighth best offense in the NSIC a year ago scoring 69.6 ppg but was 15^th defensively allowing 78 ppg.
• The Jets look to end a four-game losing streak by taking care of business in Hays, Kan.
• Junior guard Tiffany Dortland and senior forward Faith Mason-Vestal have each scored in double-figures twice to open up the season.
• Transfer guard Tiffany Dortland set a program record for most points in their Newman Jets debut when she scored 27 in the season-opener against Wayne State College.  The record was previously held by Satoria Bell, who tallied 22 points in her NU debut on November 11, 2011 in a 65-58 win against Emporia State.  It was also the second-most points scored in a home or season-opening game behind only Alexandra Ciabattoni's 30 point outburst to open the 2013-14 campaign in a 66-64 victory against Rockhurst on November 9, 2013.  Ciabattoni went on to receive First Team All-Heartland Conference honors and was named the 2014 Heartland Conference Player of the Year.
• Sophomore point guard Sydney Nilles set a new career high with seven assists in a loss to Wayne State College to open up the season.
• The Jets are vying for their first winning season since 2018-19 when head coach Darin Spence led the Navy & Red to a 21-10 record while finishing second in the Heartland Conference.
• NU also seeks its first 10+ win season since 2019-20 when NU finished 11-17 while going 6-13 in its first year in the MIAA.
• Newman looks to return to the postseason for the first time since 2019 when NU ended a six-game postseason losing streak with two wins in the Heartland Conference Tournament.  The Jets lost in the championship game to #25 Lubbock Christian.  The top-seeded Lady Chapparals went on to win the 2019 NCAA Division II National Championship.

 
YOU'RE NEXT!
The Jets return home for Feast Week to host Cottey College on Tuesday, November 23 at 5:30 p.m.  The Jets men will be the evening feature in a doubleheader approximately 25 minutes following the women's game.