Games 4 & 5:
Newman (1-2, 0-0 MIAA) vs. Central Christian (0-6, 0-2 SAC)
Friday, November 22, 2022 | 5:30 p.m. | Wichita, Kan. (Fugate Gymnasium)
Audio:  Newman Jets Audio Network (Play-by-Play:  Blake Cripps) | Video:  MIAA Network | Live Stats:  NU Athletics
 
vs. Manhattan Christian (0-3, 0-0 MCCC)
Monday, November 28, 2022 | 6:00 p.m. | Wichita, Kan. (Fugate Gymnasium)
Audio:  Newman Jets Audio Network (Play-by-Play:  Blake Cripps) | Video:  MIAA Network | Live Stats:  NU Athletics
 
FINALLY HOME
The Jets play their home opener this week and their final MIAA tune up next week.
 
LAST TIME OUT
Missouri S&T outscored the Jets 44-16 in the middle two periods and coasted to a 73-42 victory in game two of the UCO classic Nov. 19 at Hamilton Field House in Edmond, Okla.  The Jets held their own in the first quarter and led 16-11 after the opening frame.  The script flipped in the second quarter as the Jets shot just 3-for-14 from the field on the way to 29.1% shooting from the field for the game.  The Miners turned 19 Jet turnovers into 22 points while NU missed 15 of 16 shots from the 3-point arc.  Britney Ho led NU in scoring with 14 points.
Full Recap | Box Score
 
In their first game of the UCO Classic, the Jets held off their hold Heartland Conference rival Oklahoma Christian 71-62 to pick up their first win of the year.
 
SCOUTING THE SQUADRON
Newman finished 2021-22 with a 3-25 record while going 1-21 in MIAA play.  The Navy & Red return seven players from last year's team including top scorer Britney Ho, who averaged 10.4 ppg.  Ho also led the Jets in total rebounds averaging 5.1 rpg and was the team's best field goal shooter at 49%.  Senior Carissa Beck averaged 32 mpg last year while playing and starting in all 28 contests for the Jets.  Beck scored 6.5 ppg while leading Newman with 51 3-pointers and connecting on 36.7% of her shots from the outside.  Sophomore Lauryn Dubbert was third on the team in assists last year with 59.
 
Newman will carry three seniors on the roster this season while integrating four freshmen into the program.  The Jets welcome eight transfers to the roster in 2022-23 including four from the junior college level, three from NCAA Division II, and one from NCAA Division I.  The Jet lineup features two graduate students, four juniors, and six sophomores.
 
BEHIND ENEMY LINES
Central Christian is hoping for a turnaround season in 2022-23 after finishing 1-29 a season ago while losing all 22 contests in Sooner Athletic Conference play.  The Tigers enter the game on a 29-game losing streak after losing their last 24 to end last season.  Central Christian hasn't tasted double-digit wins since a 12-17 season in 2009-10 and has suffered 13 losing seasons in a row.  The 2008-09 season was the last time the Tigers finished with a winning record after going 17-14 with a 10-5 home record.  The Tigers transitioned into four-year status in 1999-00 after joining the National Christian College Athletic Association and joined the NAIA in 2001-02.  Over that span, the Tigers have never logged a winning record in conference play.  CCC will need to find production from new faces this season as they return none of their top five scorers or rebounders from a season ago.  Central Christian was picked 12^th in the 2022-23 Sooner Athletic Conference Women's Basketball Preseason Coaches Poll.
 
CCC was in action Saturday and dropped a 65-48 decision to Mid America Christian in SAC play.
 
Manhattan Christian is looking to take another step in the right direction in 2022-23.  The Lady Thunder finished 8-16 a year ago with a 6-6 record inside the Midwest Christian College Conference.  The eight wins was three higher than the previous season while the six MCCC victories was four higher than 2020-21.  MCC is seeking its first winning season since 2017-18 when the Lady Thunder went 20-6 and went a perfect 9-0 in the Midwest Christian College Conference while also claiming the MCCC Conference Tournament title and making an appearance in the National Christian College Athletic Association Southwest Region Tournament.  The Thunder have suffered back-to-back-to-back losing seasons following a 10-10 year in 2018-19.  MCC returns two of their top five scorers and rebounders from last year's team.
 
MCC will be in action for the first time since playing an exhibition against Missouri Valley College Nov. 19.
 
THE SERIES
The Jets lead the series with Central Christian 5-0.
 
NU is 2-0 against the Lady Thunder.
 
PREVIOUS MATCHUP
The Jets shrugged off a slow start and finished hot to survive Central Christian 76-60 December 18, 2018, at Fugate Gymnasium in Wichita.  The Tigers controlled the tempo out of the gate holding the Jets to just 3-for-19 from the field in the first quarter on the way to an 18-11 lead after ten minutes.  The Jets warmed up offensively in the second period and outscored CCC 21-12 in the frame to take a slim 32-30 lead into the break.  After a relatively even third period, Kaitlyn Potter caught fire in the fourth scoring 15 of Newman's 26 points in the frame to lead the Navy & Red to victory.  Potter finished with 28 game-high points while Faith Mason-Vestal collected her first career double-double with 11 points and 12 rebounds.
Full Recap | Box Score
 
After allowing a basket by the Thunder to begin the game, NU scored 24-straight points and never looked back in a 91-23 blowout over Manhattan Christian November 27, 2021, at Fugate Gymnasium in Wichita.  The Jets outscored MCC 21-2 in the first and led 45-11 at the half on a 45-9 run.  NU expanded the lead by outscoring MCC 27-2 in the third quarter and ended the game officially on a 91-21 run that spanned the final 39:07 of the ball game.  Elise Kaiser led three Jets in double-figures with a career-high 15 points.  The final margin of victory was one point shy of tying the all-time program record of 69 points set in 2016 in an 87-18 victory against Central Christian (MO).
Full Recap | Box Score
 
NAIA DOMINANCE
Newman is 37-2 against NAIA-level or lower competition since joining the ranks of the NCAA in the 2007-08 season.  The Jets have won 31 straight against teams from the NAIA or lower classifications.  The Jets last suffered defeat against an NAIA squad in a 69-66 decision on the road at Peru State December 11, 2010.  The only other team to knock off the Jets from this level is Kansas Wesleyan from the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference.  The Coyotes grounded the Jets in overtime during the 2009-10 season.
 
SHIFTING SCHEDULE
The Jets and Lady Thunder moved their game back two days from November 26 to November 28.  The change was made to accommodate MCC to help them be able to field a full roster for the game against the Jets.  MCC was going to be down a few multi-sport athletes due to their volleyball team making the NCCAA Tournament.
 
A DOUBLE DOUBLE-DOUBLE
The Jets had a big day in the post in their 71-62 victory over Oklahoma Christian in game one of the UCO classic Nov. 18.  Senior Britney Ho (22 points and 10 rebounds) and graduate Kyra Grimshaw (11 points and 11 rebounds) each posted the first double-double for the Jets since Ho went for 24 points and 10 rebounds at Rogers State last season.  It is the first time that the Jets have posted two double-doubles in the same game since three Jets accomplished the feat in a 107-84 win at Oklahoma Panhandle State February 26, 2012.  On that day, Tasha Cannon led the Jets with 27 points and 10 rebounds, Satoria Bell tallied 22 points and 10 rebounds, and Celeste Key scored 14 points with 11 rebounds.  Ho and Grimshaw were the first pair of Jets to grab at least 10 rebounds since Monica Hanna (12) and Haley Albers (10) pulled it off against Manhattan Christian College November 15, 2017.
 
In a statistical quirk, two Eagles also nabbed double-digit rebounds against the Jets in Newman's win over Oklahoma Christian.  Brooklin Bain (11) and Olivia Travis (11) are the first pair to accomplish the feat against the Jets since Cenia Hays (13) and Zaria Collins (12) in the Jets game at Northeastern State January 9, 2020.  Bain also registered a double-double in the game with 13 points, the first double-double surrendered by the Jets since Nija Coliler went for 10 points and 11 rebounds in NU's defeat at Central Missouri January 15, 2022.
 
THIS AIN'T A SCENE… IT'S A FREE THROW CONTEST
Either the teams didn't adjust to the officials, or the officials didn't adjust to the players in NU's season opener at Wayne State College.  The teams combined to shoot a whopping 78 charity shots in the game.  Both teams connected at better than 78.9% at the line with the Jets knocking down 30 free throws while the Wildcats connected on 31.  The 30 free throws by the Jets were five shy of the program record of 35 set against Texas A&M International on January 13, 2018, in Wichita.  The Jets were six attempts short of tying that all-time mark of 44 set on the road at Central Oklahoma February 4, 2012.  Ex-Heartland Conference foe Arkansas-Fort Smith owns the NU opponent records in both categories with a 41-for-53 performance at the line against the Jets in Wichita February 7, 2011.
 
PUTTING IN THE TIME
Before last season, no Jet had logged 40 minutes in a game since 2016.  That season, Shaunice Robinson and Bria DeGrate each played at least 40 minutes in a 63-58 defeat in overtime to Rogers State February 20, 2016, in Claremore, Okla.  Last season, Carissa Beck played every minute of the game five times, including a stretch of three out of four games in late January.  Beck logged over 32 minutes per game last season and was the first Jet to register over 900 minutes since Bria DeGrate played 925 minutes in 31 games in the 2018-19 season.  Beck played 149 more minutes than the second-most used Jet last season and logged 39 minutes in two other games last year while playing at least 30 minutes in 20 of her 28 games a year ago.
 
INTERNATIONAL FLIGHTS
Newman's new players arrived in Wichita from all over the country during the offseason and even around the world.  After boasting 15 Jets from just three different states a year ago, Newman women's basketball will have a much more diverse list of hometowns on this year's roster.  Six Jets are from the Sunflower State, three are from Texas with Arizona, Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, and South Dakota also represented.  For the first time in the Johnson era, the Jets have at least one international player on the roster with players from Lithuania and Spain joining the squad for 2022-23.
 
HEIGH-HO, IT'S OFF TO WORK SHE GOES
Senior forward Britney Ho enters her senior season with a chance to etch her name into the Newman record books.  Her 49.0% field goal percentage was the eighth-best recorded by a Jet in the Division II era a season ago.  The Wichita has an opportunity to finish in the top 10 in career field goal percentage and scoring average this season.  Alexandra Ciabattoni is the all-time leader in season field goal percentage after hitting 59.5% of her shots during her sophomore campaign in 2013-14.
 
BECK AND CALL
Senior shooting guard Carissa Beck made an impressive debut shooting from the outside a season ago.  The former Circle High School Thunderbird shot 36.7% on 3-pointers last season, good for ninth best all-time in Newman's Division II era.  Beck's 50 3-point field goals were tied for seventh-most in program history.  Hitting 50 of her 139 attempts, Beck has already qualified for Newman's career 3-point field goal percentage records and enters the season tied atop the list with Hannah Alexander who also hit 36.7% of her three-balls during her two-year career from 2016-18.  Alexander also owns Newman's season 3-point field goal percentage record after shooting a blistering 41.4% from downtown during her junior season in 2016-17.  The all-time 3-point leader in makes and attempts is Kaitlyn Potter who finished 196-for-539 in her two-year Jet career.  With one more made three, Beck will tie Dede Johnson for 10^th in career 3-point field goals made.
 
OUR NEWEST EXHIBIT
The Jets played an exhibition for the first time since 2020 when Kansas State visited Fugate Gymnasium and narrowly escaped with a 63-59 victory.  That was also the last time the Navy & Red squared off with a foe from NCAA Division I.  Newman's last trip to Bramlage Coliseum was November 7, 2016, as the Wildcats overwhelmed the Jets on the way to a 100-33 exhibition victory.  Bria DeGrate led Newman with nine points.
 
SPAGNOLA'S SWIPES
Graduate transfer Maddie Spagnola proved to be a pest to the Kansas State offense in Newman's preseason exhibition game against the Wildcats in Manhattan.  If it had occurred in a regulation game, Spagnola's six steals against K-State would have tied for seventh in the NU record book for single-game steals and would have been the eighth occurrence of six swipes in program history.  Kesha Buckner currently holds the record with eight thefts against Lubbock Christian back in January 2015.  Five Jets (Tasha Cannon, Buckner, Jazzmen Ortiz, Bria DeGrate, and Amoni White) have recorded seven steals in a game.
 
SHE SPECIALIZES IN DISTRIBUTION
Spagnola notched seven game-high assists in NU's season opening defeat at Wayne State College.  She was one shy of cracking the top 10 on the Newman single-game assists chart.  There have been 12 occurrences of eight assists, which is tied for No. 5 all-time.  Rhea Codio is the record holder with 14 assists set February 24, 2011, at Oklahoma Panhandle State.
 
JOHNSON & JOHNSON
Newman began a new era in 2021 as the Jets welcomed Drew Johnson and Nicole Ohlde-Johnson to Wichita as the new leaders of Jets Women's Basketball.  The Johnsons are in their second season at Newman and enter 2022-23 with a 3-25 record at NU while posting a 1-21 mark in MIAA play.  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 Johnsons 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.
 
The Johnsons are facing Oklahoma Christian and Missouri S&T for the first time this week.
 
TEACHING THE TIGERS AND ROLLING WITH THE THUNDER
Matt Barreiro is starting his second season in McPherson with the Tigers.  Central Christian finished 1-29 under his direction last season while dropping all 22 contests inside the Sooner Athletic Conference.  Barreiro was previously the head men's and women's basketball coach at The Kings University in Edmonton, Canada.  He's also assisted at Anderson University (NCAA Division III).  Barreiro has plenty of NAIA experience after assistant coach stops at St. Ambrose and Hannibal-LaGrange.  Prior to joining the collegiate ranks, he coached high school basketball for four seasons in Arizona and Washington.  Barreiro was an all-state high school player out of Spokane, Wash. and played his junior college years in The Evergreen State before finishing his career at Arizona Christian.
 
This is Barreiro's first matchup against the Jets.
 
Mindy Eckert is in her third season leading the Lady Thunder women's basketball program.  Eckert is 13-28 through two seasons in the Little Apple with an 8-15 record in MCCC play.  Eckert also serves as assistant athletic director for MCC.  She previously served as an assistant coach at MacMurray College (NCAA DIII) in Illinois prior to the college's closure at the end of the 2019-2020 academic year.  Eckert is no stranger to the Sunflower State.  An Effingham, Kan. native, Eckert graduated from Atchison County Community High School and went on to play basketball at Bethel College and the University of Saint Mary in the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference.  After college, she served as assistant girls basketball and softball coach for Immaculate High School in Leavenworth, Kan.  The joined the ranks of collegiate coaching in 2015 when she joined the staff at John Wood Community College.
 
Eckert is 0-1 against the Jets in her tenure, though the previous game was considered an exhibition by the Lady Thunder.
 
BRINGING THEIR 'A' GAME

• Junior shooting guard Carissa Beck finished tied for seventh in the league last season making 1.8 3-pointers per game.
• Beck was also one of the most-used players in the league a season ago averaging 32.3 minutes per game, ninth most in the MIAA.

 
NU STATS N' STREAKS

• Senior forward Britney Ho has scored in double figures in all three games to open the season and is on a nine-game streak of double-digit scoring dating back to last season.
• Newman finished last in the MIAA last year offensively scoring 53.6 ppg.
• The Jets were ninth in the league defensively a year ago surrendering 66.8 ppg.
• 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.
• The Jets enter 2022 primed to bust a long losing streak away from home.  NU has dropped 21-straight contests on the road after losing the last nine of the 2020-21 season and going 0-11 away from Wichita last season.  The Jets' last road win came at Washburn in a 56-52 defensive struggle December 5, 2020, at Lee Arena in Topeka, Kan.
• The Jets' 31-point defeat to Missouri S&T was their first loss of 30 to 39 points since an 82-48 defeat at Emporia State January 30, 2022.

 
COMING ATTRACTIONS
Newman opens their fourth season in the MIAA next week.
 
2022-23 MIAA PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
Week 1:  Lacy Stokes – Missouri Southern
Week 2:  Alayzha Knapp – Central Oklahoma
 
2022 MIAA WOMEN'S BASKETBALL PRESEASON POLLS
Coaches
1.  Missouri Southern (6) – 159 Points
2.  Fort Hays State (3) – 151 Points
3.  Nebraska-Kearney (2) – 144 Points
4.  Missouri Western (3) – 139 Points
5.  Central Missouri – 127 Points
6.  Emporia State – 106 Points
7.  Northwest Missouri – 100 Points
8.  Pittsburg State – 85 Points
9.  Central Oklahoma – 74 Points
10.  Washburn – 62 Points
11.  Rogers State – 50 Points
12.  Northeastern State – 31 Points
13.  Newman – 28 Points
14.  Lincoln – 18 Points
 
Media
1.  Missouri Southern (13) – 249 Points
2.  Fort Hays State (4) – 234 Points
3.  Central Missouri (3) – 218 Points
4.  Nebraska-Kearney – 216 Points
5.  Missouri Western – 211 Points
6.  Northwest Missouri – 164 Points
7.  Emporia State – 145 Points
8.  Pittsburg State – 129 Points
9.  Central Oklahoma – 127 Points
10.  Washburn – 108 Points
11.  Rogers State – 74 Points
12.  Northeastern State – 57 Points
T13.  Newman – 31 Points
T13.  Lincoln – 31 Points