Game #20
Rogers State Hillcats (5-14, 5-14 MIAA) at Newman Jets (3-16, 3-16 MIAA)
Saturday, Feb. 20 • 1:30 P.M. Wichita, Kan. • Fugate Gymnasium
Series Record: NU leads series 11-4 Last Meeting: Jan. 25^th, 2020 RSU 62 NU 37 in Claremore, Okla.
Internet Audio: Newmanjets.com/listen Internet Video: themiaanetwork.com/newman
Up Next: at Lincoln • Thurs. Feb. 25 • 5:30 P.M. • Jefferson City, Mo.

LAST TIME OUT
The teams would exchange baskets to begin the game until Newman would go on a 14-2 run to gain a 16-8 lead with 2:33 left in the first quarter. Northeastern State would respond outscoring the Jets 6-2 for the final 2:33 but the Jets would hold onto an 18-14 lead going into the second quarter.  In the second quarter, neither team would be able to gain much separation from the other as the highest lead of the quarter would be only four points. With the score 29-25 in favor of Northeastern State, Newman would outscore the Riverhawks 11-5 to close out the quarter including two three point baskets by Makayla Hayes. The Jets would take a 36-34 lead going into the half.  For most of the third quarter, both teams would continue battling back and forth and with the score tied up 45-45, Northeastern State would find separation as they would go on a 12-4 run to end the 3rd quarter and take a 57-49 lead into the final quarter.  In the fourth quarter, Northeastern State would continue to take control, holding a double digit lead for most of the fourth quarter and leading by as many as 14 points.  The Jets would cut the deficit down to 9 points late in the quarter, but the Riverhawks would make their free throws down the stretch on their way defeating the Jets 76-63.

THE COACHES
Darin Spence begins his ninth season as the Jets head coach, leading the Jets to a 3-16, 3-16 in the MIAA record so far in the 2020-21 season. Spence has compiled 593 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 8-15 record in MIAA Conference play as well as 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.

Kyle Bent is in his third season as the Rogers State Women's Basketball head Coach.  Bent has a career record of 18-38 at Rogers State and in his first season helped the Hillcats to Heartland Conference tournament appearance where they were defeated in the quarterfinal round to St. Edwards.

ABOUT THE JETS
Newman is 3-16 on the season, 3-16 in the MIAA. Newman is led in scoring by Senior Guard Brooke Haney at 10.3 points per game.  Madison Birnbaum leads the Jets in rebounding at 5.5 rebounds per game. 

ABOUT THE HILLCATS
Rogers State is 5-14 on the season, 5-14 in the MIAA. The Hillcats are led in scoring by Samariah Thompson at 16.5 points per game. Bailey Kliewer leads the Hillcats in rebounding at 5.1 rebounds per game.

SERIES HISTORY
This will be the 16th all-time meeting between these two schools with the Jets leading the series 11-4 over Rogers State.

LAST TIME VS ROGERS STATE
Rogers State (4-8, 4-8) would score the first 11 points of the contest as they would hold Newman scoreless until the 1:33 mark in the opening period. The Hillcats would carry a 14-5 lead into the second quarter of play. RSU would start the quarter similarly to the first, this time scoring 17 points while holding the Jets scoreless to jump out to a 31-5 lead with a little over three minutes left to play before the intermission. Newman would outscore Rogers State 6-5 in the final three minutes to go into the half trailing 36-11.  The Jets would outscore the Hillcats 15-13 in the third quarter behind 8 points from Jr. forward Faith Mason-Vestal. Newman would trail Rogers State 49-26 heading into the final quarter of play. The fourth quarter would be pretty even as the Hillcats would score 13 points to the Jets' 11 points in the quarter. Rogers State would lead from tip-off to the final whistle on their way to a 62-37 win over Newman.

UP NEXT
The Jets will travel to Jefferson City, Missouri to take on Lincoln on Thursday, Feb. 25^th with tip-off at 5:30 PM.


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.