Game #14
Newman Jets (2-12, 2-12 MIAA) at Nebraska Kearney Lopers (5-10, 5-10 MIAA)
Saturday, Feb. 6 • 4:00 P.M. Kearney, Neb. • Health and Sports Center
Series Record: UNK leads series 2-1 Last Meeting: Dec. 10^th, 2020 NU 64 UNK 61 in Wichita, Kan.
Internet Video: themiaanetwork.com/newman
Up Next: vs Lincoln • Thurs. Feb. 11 • 6:00 P.M. • Wichita, Kan.

LAST TIME OUT
Newman would strike first on a three point basket by Ian Lee, who would score eight of the Jets first 10 points in the contest. Despite the Tigers leading for a majority of the first half, the Jets were able to keep it close as they never trailed by more than five points and had the lead at multiple points in the opening half. Back to back jumpers by Tyjil Hereford to close out the half had the Jets only trailing by one point 37-36 heading into the intermission.  Newman would trail for the first eight minutes of the second half before David Javorski would sink two free throws giving them their first lead since just under four minutes left in the opening period. The Jets would gain their biggest lead of the contest, five points, just minutes later on a Hereford two point basket with just over nine minutes left to play in regulation.  For the next six minutes, neither team would be able to gain any separation from the other. After Fort Hays State would build up a five point lead with two and a half minutes left, Newman would cut it to just two points with 25 seconds left to play. Unfortunately for the Jets, the Tigers would make their free throws down the stretch to ice the game on their way to a 69-64 victory.

THE COACHES
RJ Allen is in his fourth season as the head coach and tenth on the staff for the Jets. Allen is 2-12, 2-12 in the MIAA in his fourth season at Newman. Last season under coach Allen, the Jets went 9-19 and 3-16 in the MIAA.  Allen has led Newman to a 34-23 overall record and a 21-11 Heartland Conference record over his first two seasons. Allen won Heartland Conference Coach of the Year honors in the 2017-18 season, he was the first coach to win the award in their first season. Prior to Newman Allen spent 5 season as an assistant coach at Concordia University in St. Paul, Minn.

Kevin Lofton is in his fifth season as head coach of Nebraska-Kearney Men's basketball program in 2020-21. Over the last four seasons, UNK has gone a combined 83-67 (55.33 win pct.), recording the program's first back-to-back 20-win seasons in a decade. The Lopers advanced to 2016 NCAA Tournament Round of 32 and reached the MIAA (Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Assoc.) Tournament semifinals twice. In five of the last six years Kearney has reached the MIAA Tournament quarterfinals in Kansas City.
 
ABOUT THE JETS
Newman is 2-12 on the season, 2-12 in the MIAA.  Newman is led in scoring by Redshirt Junior guard Joel Boyce at 13.6 points per game.  Boyce also leads the Jets in rebounding at 6.9 rebounds per game.
 
ABOUT THE LOPERS
Nebraska Kearney is 5-10 on the season, 5-10 in the MIAA. Nebraska Kearney is led in scoring by Jake Walker at 15.7 points per game. Austin Luger leads the Lopers in rebounding at 6.2 rebounds per game.

SERIES HISTORY
This will be the 4th all-time meeting between these schools with the Lopers leading the series 2-1 over Newman.

LAST TIME VS NEBRASKA KEARNEY
With the Jets leading 10-9 early in the first half, Newman would go on a 8-0 run to take an 18-9 advantage with 11:47 left in the first half.  The Lopers (1-3, 1-3) would respond with a run of their own as they would cut the Jets lead to 1, 18-17 just a little over a minute later. Nebraska Kearney would go on another run and take the lead 29-20 with 3:49 left in the first half.  Newman was able to score the final six points of the quarter to cut the Loper lead to three 29-26 going into the half.  Newman would start the second half by going on a 6-0 run after two three point baskets by Jorge Oliva and Branden Bunn to give the Jets the lead 32-29.  Nebraska Kearney would respond and retake the lead with 33-32 with 17:44 left.  Late in the half, the Jets would score four points to take a 58-57 lead before UNK would answer with a three point basket to take it back 60-58 with 2:15 left.  After Nebraska Kearney made one of two free throws to give them a 61-58 lead, Branden Bunn would knock down a big three point basket to tie the game up at 61 with 46 seconds left. Nebraska Kearney would come down on the ensuing possession and miss a shot giving the Jets a chance to take the lead. Newman had the ball with 8 seconds left and after the timeout drew up a play getting Joel Boyce open on a back cut as he would make the basket and draw a foul. Boyce would make the free throw as the Jets would hold on for a 64-61 win.

UP NEXT
The Jets will return home to host Lincoln on Thursday, Feb. 11^th with tip-off at 6:00 P.M.


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.