Games 7 & 8:  Newman (2-4, 0-0 MIAA) @ Pittsburg State (4-1, 0-0 MIAA)
Wednesday, December 1, 2021 | 5:30 p.m. | Pittsburg, Kan. (John Lance Arena)
Audio:  Newman Jets Audio Network | Video:  MIAA Network
 
@ Missouri Southern (2-2, 0-0 MIAA)
Saturday, December 4, 2021 | 1:30 p.m. | Joplin, Mo. (Leggett & Platt Athletic Center)
Audio:  Newman Jets Audio Network | Video:  MIAA Network
 
SO IT BEGINS...
Newman begins MIAA play with a road trip to southeast Kansas and southwest Missouri this week.
 
LAST TIME OUT
After allowing a basket by the Thunder to begin the game, NU scored 24-straight points and never looked back in a 91-23 blowout over Manhattan Christian Saturday, November 27.  The Jets outscored MCC 21-2 in the first and led 45-11 at the half on a 45-9 run.  NU expanded the lead by outscoring MCC 27-2 in the third quarter and ended the game officially on a 91-21 run that spanned the final 39:07 of the ball game.  Elise Kaiser led three Jets in double-figures with a career-high 15 points.
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 (Barton County), 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 to shoot a team-high 37% from the arc last year.
 
BEHIND ENEMY LINES
Pittsburg State finished 14-9 a season ago while posting a 14-8 MIAA record.  Pitt State started slow losing three of their first four, but the Gorillas turned things around with an eight-game winning streak.  The Gorillas' season ended with a 66-50 loss to Nebraska-Kearney in the first round of the MIAA Tournament.  Following the 2020-21 season, the Gorillas have notched 11-straight winning seasons since a 14-14 campaign in 2009-10.  Prior to that season, Pitt State had a losing record in three of the previous four seasons.  A 17-11 mark in the 2019-20 season ended a stretch of six-straight 20-win seasons during which the Gorillas went a combined 148-43.  The Gorillas have posted winning records in MIAA play in 13 straight seasons dating back to a 4-14 MIAA record in the 2007-08 campaign that saw the Gorillas finish 10-17.  The Gorillas are seeking their 12^th NCAA Tournament appearance and first since 2019.  Through non-conference play, Pittsburg State was eighth in the league offensively at 74.2 ppg but third-best defensively allowing just 60.4 ppg.
 
Missouri Southern finished 2020-21 with a 9-14 record while going 9-13 in MIAA play.  The Lions dropped three straight games to open the year, but MSSU responded with four consecutive wins.  The Lions lost five straight games after that and never made it back to .500 on the season.  The Lions' season ended with a 71-44 defeat to Fort Hays State in the first round of the MIAA Tournament.  It was the Lions' fifth straight losing season.  MSSU's last winning record was 18-12 back in 2015-16.  The Lions haven't posted a winning MIAA record since going 14-5 inside The Association in the 2014-15 campaign that saw MoSo post its last 20-win season with a 20-7 record.  The season was part of a stretch of four straight winning campaigns for the Lions.  The Lions are seeking their fourth NCAA Tournament appearance and first since 1996.  Missouri Southern was fifth in the league in offense through the non-conference schedule tallying 77.3 ppg and tenth defensively allowing 67.5 ppg.
 
THE SERIES
Pittsburg State leads 12-2, 4-0 in NU's NCAA DII era, 3-0 in MIAA play.  The Gorillas are 3-0 at John Lance Arena against Newman as a member of NCAA DII.  The Gorillas swept the season series against the Jets a season ago.
 
The series is tied 2-2 in four matchups featuring both teams as NCAA Division II members.  Missouri Southern leads the all-time series 6-2, posting a 4-0 record while MSSU was an NCAA DII member and the Jets were in the NAIA.  The Lions are 2-1 at Leggett & Platt Athletic Center in the NCAA era of the rivalry.
 
PREVIOUS MATCHUP
After a deadlocked first period, Pittsburg State slowly built a lead over the next three quarters that the Jets were unable to overcome in a 69-61 loss to the Gorillas to end the 2020-21 season February 27, 2021.  Pittsburg State outscored the Jets 15-5 at the free throw line in the game.  Amoni White scored a career-high 20 points to lead the Jets.
Full Recap | Box Score
 
In a game featuring several momentum swings, the Jets prevailed late to come from behind and knock off Missouri Southern 55-51 in the 2020-21 season-opener November 21, 2020.  It was a defensive struggle through 10 minutes with the Lions leading 9-7 at the end of the first quarter, but MSSU outscored NU 17-9 in the second to take a 26-16 lead at the half.  The Jets outscored the Lions 22-14 to get within two going to the fourth.  The Lions built a five-point lead with five minutes to go, but NU ended the game on a 12-3 run and took the lead on a Brooke Haney 3-pointer with 44 seconds to go.  Haney and Rylee Meloy each scored 10 points to pace the Jets.
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 staff 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.
 
LEADING THE TROOP AND PREPARING THE PRIDE
Amanda Davied is in her fourth year as head coach at Pittsburg State.  She started the season with a 52-29 record on the bench at her alma mater.  Her Gorillas went 21-9 in her debut season of 2018-19 making the NCAA Tournament and finishing 13-6 in MIAA play.  She is the only coach in Pitt State history to win at least 20 games in her first year on the bench.  Davied is in her 18^th year as a member of the Gorilla coaching staff after spending 14 seasons assisting Lane Lord who departed the position to become head coach at NCAA Division I member Texas Rio Grande Valley.  Heading into the 2021-22 season, the Gorillas have an overall record of 335-189 with Davied on the bench (.639) with six NCAA Tournament appearances and two trips to the Elite Eight.  The Farlington, Kan., native also enjoyed a standout playing career as a Gorilla scoring 1,299 points to finish as a top 10 scorer in school history.  She also set records for career assists and career free throw percentage and graduated from Pittsburg State in December 2003.
 
Ronnie Ressel begins his sixth year as the head coach of Lions women's basketball in 2021-22.  He previously served three years as an assistant coach and one year as the interim head coach in Joplin before receiving the job full-time.  Ressel has spent nearly two decades in the Missouri Southern athletic department.  A member of the MSSU class of 1992, he rejoined his alma mater for the 2002-03 season after 10 years at Rend Lake College in Illinois.  Ressel entered the season with a 56-82 record as the Lions head coach.  During Ressel's time as an assistant under Ronda Hubbard, the Lions went 57-27 with three MIAA Tournament appearances.  Ressel spent 11 seasons as an assistant with the Lions men's basketball program, during which MSSU went 204-145 with 11 appearances in the MIAA Tournament.  Ressel was a two-year letterman for the Lions and led the team in assists in the 1989-90 and 1990-91 seasons.
 
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.
 
NAIA DOMINANCE
Newman is 37-2 against NAIA-level competition since joining the ranks of the NCAA in the 2007-08 season.  The Jets have won 31 straight against teams from the NAIA or equivalent classifications.  The Jets last suffered defeat against an NAIA squad in a 69-66 decision on the road at Peru State December 11, 2010.  The only other team to knock off the Jets from this level is Kansas Wesleyan from the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference.  The Coyotes grounded the Jets in overtime during the 2009-10 season.
 
BRINGING THEIR 'A' GAME

• Through the conclusion of non-conference play, Tiffany Dortland was seventh in the league in 3-point field goal percentage at 35%.  Dortland was also tied for seventh hitting 2.2 3-pointers per game.
• Faith Mason-Vestal was tied for 10^th in the league with 1.2 blocks per game through the end of the non-conference schedule.
• Amoni White was tied for fifth in the MIAA with 2.2 steals per game entering conference play.
• Newman's 91 points against Manhattan Christian tied for ninth most by an MIAA school through non-conference play.
• NU's 32 3-pointers attempted against the MCC Thunder were the seventh most in the league as of the end of the non-con schedule.
• NU attempted 27 free throws in a defeat to Cameron, tied for seventh most in the MIAA at the conclusion of non-conference action.
• The Navy & Red's 88% effort at the free throw line against UMary was tied for fifth best in The Association prior to MIAA play.
• The Jets' 23 assists against Cottey College were tied for third most in the league ahead of MIAA action.
• The Jets posted a season-high 17 steals against MCC, good for a tie for fourth place in the league in that category preceding conference play.

 
NU STATS N' STREAKS

• Prior to the start of MIAA action, the Jets averaged 68.7 ppg, good for 12^th in the MIAA.  The Jets were seventh defensively allowing just 63.5 ppg.
• The Jets look to end a two-game losing streak in conference play with a victory this week.
• The 68-point victory for the Jets in their 91-23 blowout over Manhattan Christian updated several superlatives for the Jets.  The 68-point margin is the second-biggest win for the Navy & Red behind only NU's 69-point win over the Central College of the Bible in an 87-18 triumph November 14, 2016.  It was the first time the Jets had a win of at least 50 points since beating Randall by 57 in an 80-23 win December 14, 2019.  It was the first time NU scored at least 90 points game since NU had defeated Randall 96-37 January 7, 2019.  The also Jets forced 25 Thunder turnovers in the game, the first time the Jets had turned over a team at least 25 times since forcing 26 turnovers in a win against Lincoln January 4, 2020.
• Redshirt freshman Elise Kaiser scored a career-high 15 points in NU's victory over Manhattan Christian.  It was her first career double-figure scoring game.
• Junior forward Britney Ho matched NU career highs in points and rebounds with 12 and nine respectively in the Jets victory against MCC to wrap up nonconference play.
• Junior guard Amoni White nabbed a career-high seven steals in NU's win over MCC.  It was the first time the Jets had a player tally at least five steals since Abbey George grabbed five steals in NU's senior day win against Arkansas-Fort Smith March 2, 2019.  The mark was one shy of the NU single-game record of eight in the Division II era set by Kesha Buckner January 8, 2015 when NU defeated Lubbock Christian in Heartland Conference play.
• Senior forward Faith Mason-Vestal scored in double-figures in five of Newman's games to open up the year.  Her streak is still alive as she did not play NU's victory over Manhattan Christian due to illness.
• Freshman center Laura Bello collected her first career double-double by grabbing a career high 11 rebounds to go along with 10 points in a Jet victory over Cottey College.
• Junior guard Tiffany Dortland matched a career high with five assists in NU's Cottey College victory.  She also registered a personal best of two blocks against the Comets.
• Bello also erupted for a career-high 19 points in just 11 minutes in the Jets' loss to Cameron.
• 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!
NU is back home next week to host Turnpike Tussle rivals Emporia State and Washburn at Fugate Gymnasium on Wednesday, December 8 and Saturday, December 11.