Game #15
Newman Jets (3-11, 3-11 MIAA) at #11 Fort Hays State Tigers (11-2, 11-2 MIAA)
Thursday, Feb. 4 • 5:30 P.M. Hays, Kan. • Gross Memorial Coliseum
Series Record: FHSU leads series 10-1 Last Meeting: Dec. 12^th, 2020 FHSU 68 NU 48 in Wichita, Kan.
Internet Audio: Newmanjets.com/listen Internet Video: themiaanetwork.com/newman
Up Next: at #12 Nebraska Kearney • Sat. Feb. 6 • 2:00 P.M. • Kearney, Neb.

LAST TIME OUT
To begin the game, Emporia State (9-3, 9-3) would take the advantage early with a 9-3 lead with 7:12 remaining in the first quarter before Brooke Haney would knock down a jumper to cut into the lead.  The Hornets would outscore the Jets 13-7 to lead 22-12 going into the second quarter. In the second quarter, the Jets battled back cutting the deficit down to 6 points with 4:53 left, but the Hornets would outscore Newman by four points to close out the quarter taking a 42-32 lead going into the intermission.  In the third quarter, Newman continued to battle and tried to cut the Hornets lead but Emporia State had a response for every run the Jets would make.  Emporia State would get their biggest lead of the quarter at 14 points on a couple instances but would take a 12 point lead into the final quarter, 62-50. In the final quarter, Emporia State would extend their lead to 21 points with 7:16 left in regulation. Newman was able to cut the deficit down to 14 points, but that would be as close as they would be able to get it as the Hornets would defeat the Jets, 85-65.

THE COACHES
Darin Spence begins his ninth season as the Jets head coach, leading the Jets to a 3-11, 3-11 in the MIAA record so far in the 2020-21 season. Spence has compiled a 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 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.

Tony Hobson enters his 13th season as head coach of the Fort Hays State Women's basketball program in 2020-21. Hobson is one of the most successful collegiate women's basketball coaches in the nation, entering his 29th year overall with a career record of 673-207 (.765). He ranks eighth in win percentage among active coaches in NCAA Division II with a four-year college win percentage of .770 (471-141). Hobson is the winningest coach in program history, posting a record of 260-101 in 12 seasons at Fort Hays State (.720).

ABOUT THE JETS
Newman is 3-11 on the season, 3-11 in the MIAA. Newman is led in scoring by Senior Guard Brooke Haney at 11.2 points per game.  Madison Birnbaum leads the Jets in rebounding at 5.8 rebounds per game.

ABOUT THE TIGERS
Fort Hays State is 11-2 on the season, 11-2 in the MIAA. The Tigers are led in scoring by Jaden Hobbs at 17 points per game. Katie Wagner leads the Tigers in rebounding at 6.9 rebounds per game.

SERIES HISTORY
This will be the 12th meeting between these two schools with the Tigers leading the series 10-1 including the season series last year.

LAST TIME VS FORT HAYS STATE
Newman would start the scoring off with a three point basket to gain the early advantage.  For most of the first quarter, both teams were exchanging baskets with one another but the Tigers would take a four point lead going into the second quarter.  For the beginning of the second quarter it continued to be a back and forth contest with neither team gaining much push against one another and we would go to the half with the Tigers leading the Jets 22-21.  In the beginning of the second half the Jets would score to get the lead with a jumper by Faith Mason-Vestal.  After that moment, the Tigers would take control of the game starting with a 12-0 run to lead by 11 with 6:14 left. The teams would exchange baskets until the Tigers closed out the third quarter and began the fourth on a 21-3 run taking a 53-32 lead. The Tigers would defeat the Jets 68-48.

UP NEXT
The Jets will travel to Kearney, Nebraska on Saturday, Feb. 6 to take on #12 Nebraska Kearney with tip-off at 2:00 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. Listen along to all of the Newman Jets games on The Jets Audio Network with Blake Cripps on the call at newmanjets.com/listen. You can find all things Newman in the Newman Jets Athletics app available in both the App Store and on Google Play.