Games 15 & 16: 
Newman (2-12, 0-8 MIAA) vs. Lincoln (4-10, 0-8 MIAA)
Thursday, January 13, 2022 | 5:30 p.m. | Jefferson City, Mo. (Jason Gym)
Audio:  None | Video:  MIAA Network | Live Stats:  LU Athletics
 
vs. Central Missouri (10-6, 6-3 MIAA)
Saturday, January 15, 2022 | 1:00 p.m. | Warrensburg, Mo. (Multipurpose Building)
Audio:  1450 KOKO, 107.9 FM, 98.5 The BAR (Play-by-Play:  Greg Hassler) | Video:  MIAA Network | Live Stats:  UCM Athletics
 
SHOW ME SOMETHING
The Jets head to the Show Me State for a pair of tests this week in MIAA action.
 
LAST TIME OUT
The Jets struggled from the field while Northeastern State shot 41.2% from 3-point range to knock off the Navy & Red 67-57 Saturday, January 8 in Wichita.  NSU slowly built a five-point lead at the half and took a double-digit lead to the final quarter by outscoring the Jets 17-10 in the third.  NU shot just 2 of 12 from outside while the RiverHawks knocked down 7 of 17 from behind the arc.  Tiffany Dortland paced the Jets with 19 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.  NU will suit up two seniors this season while welcoming six freshmen to the program.  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 Circle 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
Lincoln enters the week tied with Newman in 12^th place in the league standings.  The Blue Tigers are trying to build momentum this year following a 2-20 season in 2020-21 that saw LU play all 22 of its games in MIAA league action.  The Blue Tigers are looking to end a stretch of nine-consecutive losing seasons following a 15-13 season in 2011-12.  With a program that dates back to 1981, LU has never had a winning record in conference play and is trying to break a streak of 16-straight losing seasons in league action.  A .500 record would match the program's best conference winning percentage, the most recent of which came in 2004-05 when the Blue Tigers went 6-6 in the Heartland Conference.  Lincoln is seeking its first NCAA Tournament appearance.
 
Central Missouri finds itself tied for fifth in the MIAA standings entering the week.  The Jennies have notched five-straight winning seasons following an 11-18 setback in 2015-16 that saw Central go 9-13 in MIAA play.  All five seasons since have featured at least 20 victories including last season's 23-5 mark with a 19-3 record inside 'The Association.'  After a stunning loss to No. 7 seed Washburn in the first round of the MIAA Tournament, UCM went on a tear through the NCAA Tournament with victories over league rivals Fort Hays State and Nebraska-Kearney in the Central Region Tournament.  The Jennies' season came to an end with a heartbreaking 63-61 loss to eventual national champion and top-ranked Lubbock Christian.  The Jennies have nine 20-win seasons over their last 10 and won the program's second NCAA Division II National Championship following a 30-3 season in 2017-18.  The Jennies have lost no more than 4 MIAA contests in any of the previous five seasons.  Central Missouri has made 18 straight trips to the post season and is looking to earn its fifth-straight berth into the Big Dance.  UCM is seeking its 26^th NCAA Tournament appearance.
 
THE SERIES
Newman leads the all-time series 6-4 over the Blue Tigers.  Lincoln is 4-1 against the Navy & Red in Jefferson City.  Last season's win by LU ended a 3-game winning streak for the Jets in the series and was Lincoln's first win over the Jets since a 67-51 triumph over NU at Jason Gym February 13, 2010.  Newman leads 2-1 in the series' MIAA era.
 
Central Missouri leads the Jets 3-0 in the series.  UCM is 2-0 against Newman in games counting toward the MIAA standings.  Newman has never faced the Jennies at the Multipurpose Building in Warrensburg.
 
PREVIOUS MATCHUP
Lincoln jumped out to a 19-10 lead after one and the Jets could never gain control of the game and fell 60-58 to the Blue Tigers February 25, 2021 in Jefferson City to split the season series.  After a 4-4 tie to start the game, LU got cooking with a 15-6 run to build their lead as high as 11 in the first.  NU roared back by outscoring Lincoln 23-11 in the second, including a 13-2 run to end the half.  A 3-pointer by Madison Birnbaum tied the game at 58 with 16 seconds to go, but Aliyah Bello hit the game-winner with 2 ticks left on the clock.  The Jets had a look to send the game to overtime, but the layup missed and LU was finally able to celebrate.  Faith Mason-Vestal led the Navy & Red with 17 points and 10 rebounds.
Full Recap | Box Score
 
Both offenses struggled to get going as #14 Central Missouri held on for a 58-52 victory over the Jets in Wichita January 16, 2021 to win the only meeting between the programs last season.  UCM started the game on a 7-2 run but the Jets responded with a 5-2 run to end the first.  NU went in front by three with just over 3 minutes to go, but the Jennies closed out the game on a 14-5 run to put away the Jets.  Madison Birnbaum led Newman with 16 points.
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.
 
TRAINING THE TIGERS AND JUMPING WITH THE JENNIES
Andrea Mize is in the second year of her tenure rebuilding the Lincoln women's basketball program.  She started the season 2-20 in Jefferson City with all 22 games coming inside the MIAA in 2020-21.  Now in her fourth season as a head coach, Mize's career record at the start of the year was 33-54.  Mize came to Lincoln following two seasons at Central Florida College where she went 31-34 overall, but 19-15 in her last year.  Mize spent three years as an assistant at Martin Methodist College where she helped lead the program to two NAIA Tournament berths.  Mize played for three seasons collegiately at Indiana where she played for WNBA coach Curt Miller.
 
Dave Slifer is in his 18^th season leading Central Missouri women's basketball and is one of the legends of the game.  Slifer started the season as the fourth winningest active coach in NCAA Division II and was a staggering 357-157 with UCM while going 228-100 in MIAA games.  In 33 years of coaching coming into the year, Slifer was 741-256 overall with a 343-141 record in league action.  Slifer's tradition of winning has followed him at each of his coaching stops.  Slifer began his career with a stop at his alma mater Mount Mercy where he won at least 28 games in each of his six seasons as the Mustangs went 178-30 during his tenure.  He departed the program after leading the 'Stangs to four-straight NAIA Tournament appearances from 1992-95.  He then took over the program at Missouri Western and took the Griffons to new heights inside the MIAA.  Western went 206-69 in his nine years and 115-41 inside 'The Association.'  Slifer helped Missouri Western to eight consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances following eight 20-win seasons to end his tenure while winning two MIAA titles.  In 17 years in Warrensburg, he's led the Jennies to 11 Big Dance berths and the 2018 national title.  He's won at least 11 conference games in all but three seasons with UCM and has logged just one losing season with the Jennies.  Overall, Slifer has 19 NCAA Tournament appearances under his belt and has finished no worse than second in the MIAA over the last five seasons.
 
THERE IN SPIRIT
Coach Nicole Ohlde-Johnson hopes to return to the bench for this week's games.  Coach Nicole hasn't been on the court with the Jets since NU's defeat to Washburn December 11, 2021.  The Newman community is excited to welcome her and Coach Drew's new son Cooper to the Jet family! 
 
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

• Senior forward Faith Mason-Vestal enters this week's contests sixth in blocks per game in the MIAA.
• Junior transfer Tiffany Dortland is eighth in the league in 3-pointers attempted entering this week's action.  She is also eighth in overall field goal attempts.
• The Navy & Red start the week fifth in the MIAA in free throw percentage (73.8%).

 
NU STATS N' STREAKS

• Coming into this week, NU ranked 14^th in the league in scoring offense at 57.9 ppg.  Newman is 12^th in scoring defense allowing 68.1 ppg.
• The Jets look to end their eight-game losing streak and ten-game losing slide in conference play with a victory this week.
• Former Russell High School Bronco Tiffany Dortland has scored in double figures in back-to-back games.
• Against Northeastern State, freshman guard Lauryn Dubbert matched career highs with four assists and two steals.
• Junior transfer guard Carissa Beck matched a career high with three 3-pointers in a road loss at Central Oklahoma.
• NU's 27 turnovers at Central Oklahoma were the most since the Jets turned it over 27 times against St. Mary's in Heartland Conference action February 23, 2017.  In the same game, Bronchos center Kelsey Johnson scored 30 points, the first opponent to score at least that many against the Jets since Kenzi Lamer torched NU for 32 points on 10 of 14 shooting from outside the arc in a 68-66 win for Northwestern Oklahoma State over the Jets in Wichita November 16, 2019.
• The 46-point defeat for the Jets in their 90-44 loss at #5 Fort Hays State was the Jets' biggest defeat in NU's NCAA Division II era.  It was Newman's first loss of at least 40 points since falling 87-42 at #5 Lubbock Christian January 7, 2016.
• Sophomore point guard Sydney Nilles matched a career-high of three steals for the fourth time against Washburn.  Senior forward Faith Mason-Vestal also matched her career-high of three takeaways in the same game, the first time she'd done that since her freshman year.
• Britney Ho scored a career-high 17 points on 8 of 12 shooting in the Jets' home defeat to Emporia State.
• Sydney Nilles tallied a career-high 8 assists in NU's loss to the Lady Hornets in Wichita.
• Junior guard Amoni White set back-to-back season highs after scoring eight points at Pittsburg State and then erupting for 15 points against Missouri Southern.  In that same game against Southern, White matched a season-high with four assists.
• Junior guard Tiffany Dortland matched her career-high of nine rebounds at Missouri Southern.
• 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 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.
• 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 erupted for a career-high 19 points in just 11 minutes in the Jets' loss to Cameron.
• Dubbert set a new career highs with nine points and eight rebounds against Mary.
• Transfer 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.
• 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 Chaparrals went on to win the 2019 NCAA Division II National Championship.

 
YOU'RE NEXT!
Newman returns home to host Missouri Western and Northwest Missouri next week.
 
MIAA PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
Week 1:  Katie Wagner – Fort Hays State
Week 2:  Kelsey Johnson – Central Oklahoma
Week 3:  Kelsey Johnson (2) – Central Oklahoma (2)
Week 4:  Shiloh McCool – Nebraska-Kearney
Week 5:  Shiloh McCool (2) – Nebraska-Kearney (2)
Week 6:  Nija Collier – Central Missouri
Week 7:  Tre'Zure Jobe – Emporia State
Week 8:  Kelsey Johnson (3) – Central Oklahoma (3)