Game 3:
Newman (1-1, 0-0 MIAA) @ Dallas Baptist (1-3, 0-0 LSC)
Wednesday, November 19, 2022 | 6:00 p.m. | Dallas (Burg Center)
Audio:  None | Video:  LSC Network | Live Stats:  DBU Athletics
 
HELLO THERE
The Jets rekindle an old Heartland Conference rivalry in Texas this weekend.
 
LAST TIME OUT
The Newman offense topped the 90-point mark for the second time in three games and pounded Sterling 95-64 to win the home opener Nov. 16 at Fugate Gymnasium in Wichita.  Both teams were clicking to start the game as the Jets led 52-39 at halftime.  The Jets slowly built a 15-point lead in the second half before 25-7 run ripped the game open and the lead crossed 30 points.  Ian Lee led five Jets in double figures with 22 season-high points.
Full Recap | Box Score
 
SCOUTING THE SQUADRON
The Jets went 6-21 in 2021-22 with a 3-19 record inside the MIAA.  Newman returns four players from last year's squad including second-leading scorer Stevie Strong, who averaged 13.7 ppg.  Strong was also second on the team in steals with 22 and led the Jets in 3-pointers shooting 44-for-138 from outside (31.9%).  Strong also paced the Jets from the foul line with 68 free throws on the way to shooting an impressive 89.5%.  Junior Ian Lee started 23 of 27 games for the Jets last season and dazzled offensively with 83 assists against just 43 turnovers.  Lee was also Newman's third-leading scorer at 9.6 ppg.
 
The Jets will be junior and graduate led this season with no seniors on the roster.  The Jets start the season with seven freshmen on the roster.  The Navy & Red will feature eight transfers this season: five from the junior college level and four from NCAA Division I.  Newman's roster features two graduate students, six juniors, and four sophomores.
 
BEHIND ENEMY LINES
Dallas Baptist is aiming to go dancing yet again in 2022-23.  The Patriots finished 17-12 a season ago while notching a 10-5 record inside the Lone Star Conference.  DBU has made five-straight NCAA Tournaments and has received a bid to six of the last seven tournaments.  Dallas Baptist is seeking their ninth consecutive winning season and hasn't failed to finish above .500 since a 14-14 season in 2013-14.  The Patriots are seeking their 10^th straight national postseason appearance in 2023.  To go along with six NCAA Tournament bids, the Patriots have made five National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) Tournaments including the 2011 NCCAA National Championship.  The Patriots fell in the first round of the 2022 NCAA Tournament to #22 Black Hills State 76-68.  DBU was selected second in the 2022-23 LSC Men's Basketball Preseason Poll and junior guard Cameron Kahn was an LSC Preseason Player to Watch.
 
The Patriots are back in action for first time since splitting two games at the South Central Region Challenge in Grand Junction, Co.  DBU prevailed 89-60 over Colorado Christian in their opening game before falling to host Colorado Mesa 68-56.
 
THE SERIES
Dallas Baptist leads the series 14-12 with all 26 contests to date being played under the auspices of the Heartland Conference.  DBU leads 2-0 in postseason matchups with both games coming in the Heartland Conference Tournament.  The Patriots had taken nine straight from the Jets in the series before NU swept DBU during the final season of Heartland Conference play in 2018-19.
 
PREVIOUS MATCHUP
The Jets shot a sizzling 60% from the field and won a 102-94 shootout March 2, 2019, at the Burg Center in Dallas.  It was Newman's highest scoring output of the year as the Jets shot a season-best 62.5% from the three-point line, connecting on 10 of 16 treys while converting 26 of 33 free throws.  The Jets opened the game with a 9-0 start before Dallas Baptist got hot and kept pace with NU all the way 'till halftime when the Navy & Red led 47-46.  The Patriots slowly crept into a 61-57 lead seven minutes into the second half when the Jets responded with a 28-6 run that spanned over eight minutes in the second half to lead 85-67 late in the game.  Dallas Baptist staged a furious rally to cut the lead to six with 25 seconds to play, but it was too little, too late as the Jets went 4-for-4 at the foul line in the closing moments to clinch the win.  Ben Ayre paced the Jets with a career-high 32 points while Marshawn Blackmon notched his third-straight double-double with 21 points and 11 rebounds.  It was his ninth double-double of the season.
Full Recap | Box Score
 
ASSERTING THEIR AUTHORITY
Since becoming an NCAA Division II program in the 2007-08 season, the Jets are a perfect 35-0 against NAIA-level competition.  Overall, the Jets have won 36-straight games against NAIA-level schools dating back to their last season as a member of the Midlands Collegiate Athletic Conference in 2006-07.  The Jets last fell to an NAIA school in their penultimate game in the MCAC, a 73-64 defeat to Bellevue in Wichita February 16, 2007.  Newman's previous win over an NAIA-level or lower squad came in an 81-67 triumph over Manhattan Christian College November 27, 2021.
 
I LOVE THE 90'S
Newman topped 90 points for the second time in three games last time with 95 points against Sterling College.  The Jets offense soared to a 97-85 victory in the season opener against Concordia-St. Paul Nov. 11.  The Jets had scored over 90 points in a game just once over the past two seasons; a 90-68 victory against Central Oklahoma December 19, 2020.  The last time the Jets had two 90-point performances in the same season was 2018-19.  The Jets topped 90 points five times that year including twice eclipsing the century mark.
 
YOU GET A CAREER HIGH… YOU GET A CAREER HIGH
The Jets ripped up their personal record books in the 31-point victory over Sterling College.  In total, the Jets matched or set a whopping 23 new NCAA career highs in the victory.  Notable personal bests set include freshmen Jacob Joe and Sam Somerhalder notching their first double-figure scoring nights, Kwaku Agyapong matching a career high with five rebounds, Thomas Zevgaras matching personal bests in scoring and rebounding set from his career at Incarnate Word, Khaleem Bennett snatching a career-high four steals, and Ian Lee matching his personal high of four 3-pointers for the fourth time.
 
IT WAS PERFECT… PERFECT, EVERYTHING DOWN TO THE LAST, MINUTE DETAILS
Ian Lee nearly achieved a rare perfect night from the field against Sterling College.  The Toronto, Canada junior hit all eight of his field goals while going 4-for-4 from outside the arc.  One missed free throw after a hard foul was the only blemish on the night for the Canadian.  Lee now owns the Newman record for single-game field goals made without missing.  He passes a trio of Jets who had all finished the game 7-for-7 from the field:  Shamar Acuay, Juwan Davenport, and Joel Boyce.  Boyce was the last to accomplish the feat with a 7-for-7 performance at Pittsburg State February 27, 2021.
 
SHARING THE LOVE
Five different Jets scored in double-figures in the win over Sterling last time out.  It was the first time that the Jets had at least five players score at least 10 points since six Jets scored in double digits against Lincoln February 24, 2022.  The Jets dominated early and coasted to an 89-76 win over the Blue Tigers at Fugate Gymnasium in Wichita.  David Javorsky led NU with 19 points.
 
THE 40-POINT CLUB
Sophomore guard Stevie Strong became just the third NU player to score at least 40 points in a game when he dropped 40 on Concordia-St. Paul in the Jets' season opener.  It is the first time a Jet has scored at least 40 points since Taylor Schieber set the single-game scoring record with 45 against Texas A&M International February 25, 2017, in then head coach Mark Potter's final home game at Fugate Gymnasium.  The 40 points by Strong are the most ever scored by a Newman player in a season opener and tied for second-most all-time. 
 
SINGLE-GAME SCORING
Rk            Player                      Points      Opponent                Date       
1.             Taylor Schieber       45            TAMIU                     2/25/17
2.             Ryan Bradley           40            TAMIU                     2/16/08
                Stevie Strong          40            Concordia-St. Paul  11/11/22
4.             Reggie Baker           36            at UAFS                   1/22/15  
5.             Reggie Baker           34            St. Mary's                1/31/15
6.             Keaton Schultz        32            at OPSU                   1/23/10
                Taylor Schieber       32            at Rogers State       1/2/17
                Daniel Nwosu Jr.     32            at St. Mary's            1/21/17
                Ben Ayre                 32            at Dallas Baptist      3/2/19
10.           Cortrael Colbert      31            at OPSU                   2/5/15    
                Gavin Thurman       31            TAMIU                     1/2/16
 
In addition, his 11 field goals tied for 10^th most in Division II history and are the 16^th time a Jet has nailed that many shots in a single game.  Strong hit 13 of his 14 free throws in the game, which tied him with Jarvis Jackson and Ben Ayre for fourth on the single-game free throws made list.  The 14 attempted free throws are tied for 10^th most and are the ninth occurrence of that feat.
 
A STRONG START
Stevie Strong's start to his Newman career landed him in the NU record book last season.  Strong's 288 points in just 21 games set the season scoring record for a Newman freshman.  Not only that, but Strong also set the single-game freshman scoring record by pouring in 29 points in a game against Northeastern State last season.  Strong also set the record for season free throw percentage by hitting 89.5% of his charity shots.  Strong's 29 consecutive makes at the line to open a season were also best all-time by a Jet. 
 
'LEE'SING AGREEMENT
Ian Lee has developed into one of the MIAA's premier distributors in the conference over his first two seasons with the Jets.  Through just 49 games, Lee has cracked the Top 10 in career assists for the Jets with 129.  He's currently tied with Jarvis Jackson for sixth in career assists per game with 2.6 apg.  Lee's 83 assists last year also tied him with Jackson for ninth on the season assists list.  His 3.1 apg in 2021-22 also landed him in a tie for 10^th on the season assists per game rankings tied with Kyle Smith, Jarvis Jackson, and Jalen Love.
 
STAYING BUSY
Newman men's basketball played multiple exhibitions this season against NCAA Division I foes for the first time since 2010.  After playing the Shockers to tip off the preseason, Newman headed to Springfield, Missouri to face the Missouri State Bears from the Missouri Valley Conference.  In 2010-11, the Jets played exhibitions at Kansas State and Wichita State before tipping off the season.
 
CAPTAIN OF THE FLEET
R. J. Allen begins his sixth season as the head coach of the Jets in 2021.  It will be his 12th season with the program.  Allen has compiled a record of 53-81 over his first five years in Wichita with a 10-55 record in MIAA play.  Allen has coached a player to the All-MIAA team each of his first three years in the league.  Israel Barnes received All-MIAA Honorable Mention recognition last season, Joel Boyce was named All-MIAA Honorable Mention in 2021, while Marshawn Blackmon earned Third Team recognition in 2020.  During the Jets' last year in the Heartland Conference, Allen led NU to a 20-9 overall record while finishing third in the Heartland Conference at 11-5.  The 20 wins tied the NU record for victories in their NCAA Division II era.  NU also finished the season in the Top 10 of the South Central Regional Rankings.  Allen was named the 2018 Heartland Conference Coach of the Year in his first season at the helm at Newman after guiding the Jets on a dramatic turnaround in the second half of the season that saw NU finish 14-14 overall and third in the conference with a 10-6 record.
 
Allen arrived in Wichita in 2011 and spent six seasons as an assistant and eventually associate head coach under Mark Potter, NU's all-time winningest coach.  The Jets won 88 games over those 6 years and made four trips to the Heartland Conference Tournament and the school's first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance after going 20-8 in 2012-13.  He was also on the bench when the Jets knocked off No. 2 seed Lubbock Christian in the first round of the 2016 Heartland Conference Tournament to earn its first ever postseason victory as an NCAA program.
 
Allen is no stranger to the Air Capital after growing up in Wichita and playing his prep years for his dad, Ron, at Wichita East High School.  Allen was a two time All-City and All-State selection and helped lead the Blue Aces to the 2002 6A state championship.  Following high school, Allen stayed local playing two years at Hutchinson Community College.  The Blue Dragons dominated during Allen's career going 57-9 over the two-year span with a 41-1 record in Jayhawk Conference play and winning the conference title in 2004.
 
Allen is 2-0 against Sterling College.
 
PRESCRIBING WITH THE PATRIOTS
Dr. Blake Flickner is in his 18^th season as DBU head coach and entered the season with a record of 304-191 and has led the Patriots to the NCAA Tournament seven times.  Dallas Baptist has made five-straight trips to March Madness and is one of just seven teams in the country with that many consecutive NCAA postseason appearances.  In 17 seasons at the helm, his teams have finished with a losing record just twice and not since an 11-15 campaign in 2012-13.  Flickner has notched seven 20-win seasons in Dallas and led his program to two Heartland Conference regular season titles and a pair of Heartland Conference Tournament crowns.  His success has not slowed down since DBU's move to the Lone Star Conference, leading the Patriots to a 55-26 record in the LSC.  Flickner was twice named the Heartland Conference Coach of the Year in 2009 and 2017.  He previously served as an assistant coach for the U.S. Naval Academy from 2003-05.  Prior to his time with the Navy, Flickner was the director of basketball operations at Colorado State and helped lead the Rams to their first trip to the Big Dance in 13 seasons after winning the Mountain West Conference Tournament.  He also spent three years at his alma mater Eastfield College in Texas.  After playing two years for the junior college, he transferred to the University of Kansas where he was a student manager from 1996-98 for head coach Roy Williams.  During his time in Lawrence, the Jayhawks went 69-6 while going a staggering 30-2 in Big 12 play.
 
Flickner is the only Dallas Baptist coach to lead the Patriots against the Jets and owns the entire 14-12 record against the Navy & Red.  No one has coached more games against NU in the Jets' Division II era and Flickner is also the active coaching leader in wins against Newman.  Rogers State head coach Justin Barkley also owns 14 wins against the Jets and seems poised to take over this record in the long term as the Jet/Hillcat rivalry has continued in the MIAA.
 
LEADING 'THE ASSOCIATION'

• Wichita-native Israel Barnes finished fifth in the league in scoring last season averaging 18.9 ppg.
• Deandre Johnson, who graduated last spring, finished his last season with the Jets tied for ninth in the league in rebounding grabbing 6.0 boards per game.
• Stevie Strong finished eighth in 3-pointers per game in 2021-22 hitting 2.1 per contest.  Strong finished fourth in 'The Association' in free throw percentage at 89.5%.
• Ian Lee finished in a tie for ninth last season with 3.1 assists per game.  Lee was tied for fifth in the MIAA in assist/turnover ratio at 1.9.

 
NU STATS 'N STREAKS

• Stevie Strong has scored in double figures in four-consecutive games dating back to last season.  Strong was held out of the Sterling game as a precaution due to an injury.
• Khaleem Bennett has opened his NU career with double-digit scoring in each of his first three games.
• NU's 31-point victory over Sterling College was NU's biggest since beating the Warriors by 32 in the schools' previous meeting.  On that day, the Jets dominated in a 98-66 victory in Wichita December 16, 2019.
• The Navy & Red finished last in the MIAA last year in offense scoring 65.7 ppg.
• NU ended the season 12^th defensively allowing 75.1 ppg.
• The Jets are looking for their first winning season since 2018-19 when Newman finished 20-9 while tying for third in the Heartland Conference.  NU also seeks its first 10-win season since that same campaign.  2018-19 was also the last season NU participated in the postseason, losing in the first round of the final Heartland Conference Tournament to Rogers State.

 
AND THEN…
Newman returns home for a KCAC tilt against Tabor College on Tuesday.
 
2022-23 MIAA PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
Week 1:  Bennett Stirtz – Northwest Missouri
 
2022 MIAA MEN'S BASKETBALL PRESEASON POLLS
Coaches
1.  Northwest Missouri (11) – 167 Points
2.  Central Oklahoma (3) – 158 Points
3.  Fort Hays State – 137 Points
4.  Washburn – 131 Points
5.  Emporia State – 125 Points
6.  Northeastern State – 100 Points
7.  Missouri Western – 93 Points
8.  Missouri Southern – 85 Points
9.  Central Missouri – 73 Points
T-10.  Pittsburg State – 63 Points
T-10.  Rogers State – 63 Points
12.  Nebraska-Kearney – 36 Points
13.  Lincoln – 26 Points
14.  Newman – 17 Points
 
Media
1.  Northwest Missouri (14) – 261 Points
2.  Central Oklahoma (4) – 243 Points
3.  Fort Hays State – 216 Points
4.  Washburn – 209 Points
5.  Emporia State – 181 Points
6.  Missouri Western – 163 Points
7.  Missouri Southern – 146 Points
8.  Northeastern State – 135 Points
9.  Central Missouri – 112 Points
10.  Pittsburg State – 106 Points
11.  Rogers State – 92 Points
12.  Nebraska-Kearney – 67 Points
13.  Newman – 33 Points
14.  Lincoln – 31 Points