Game 13:
Newman (5-7, 1-5 MIAA) vs. Emporia State (9-2, 3-2 MIAA)
Friday, December 31, 2022 | 3:30 p.m. | Wichita, Kan. (Fugate Gymnasium)
Audio:  Newman Jets Audio Network (Play-by-Play:  Jayson Jorgensen) | Video:  MIAA Network | Live Stats:  NU Athletics
 
KICK OFF THE PARTY EARLY
Newman looks to ring in the new year with one final victory in 2022.
 
LAST TIME OUT
Fort Hays State jumped out to a 21-7 run and NU never recovered in an 83-61 loss to the Tigers December 18, 2022, at Gross Memorial Coliseum in Hays, Kan.  NU started the game just 2-for-12 from the field while FHSU connected at a 54.8% clip in the first half and led 47-28 at halftime.  NU trimmed the deficit to 15 quickly in the second half, but the Tigers recovered with a 6-0 run and the Jets were unable to threaten the rest of the game.  Thomas Zevgaras led the Navy & Red with a career-high 18 points.
Full Recap | Box Score
 
Earlier on the road trip, the Jets picked up their first MIAA win of the season 73-70 at Nebraska-Kearney.
 
BEHIND ENEMY LINES
Emporia State took a major step forward last season by finishing 20-9 with a 15-7 conference record in 2021-22.  Despite losing to rival Washburn in the first round of the MIAA Tournament, the Hornets improved their win total by nine and won four more MIAA games than the season before.  With the winning record, the Hornets ended a streak of seven-straight losing seasons that had stretched back to 2014-15.  ESU's 20 wins was the first time crossing that plateau since finishing 21-8 and making the NCAA Tournament in 2007.  It was just the third 20-win season in Emporia State's history as an NCAA program.  The Hornets are seeking their third NCAA Tournament appearance and first since 2007.
 
Emporia State enters the last week of the calendar year splitting their last four games before Christmas break.  Owen Long is the reigning MIAA Player of the Week after helping the Hornets beat then #1 Northwest Missouri.  Emporia State starts the second semester tied for fourth in the conference standings.  In MIAA play, E-State ranks seventh offensively at 67.8 ppg and third defensively at 65.8 ppg.  Long leads the team in scoring at 17.3 ppg while Kaden Evans paces ESU in rebounding grabbing 5.7 rpg.
 
THE SERIES
Emporia State leads the all-time series 24-14 and has won four in a row after NU had taken the last three.  The Navy & Red lead 8-7 in NU's NCAA Division II era but the Hornets took a 4-2 lead in the MIAA era of the series with their sweep of the Jets last season. 
 
PREVIOUS MATCHUP
After a track meet of a first half, the Newman offense couldn't keep up in the second and Emporia State pulled away for an 85-69 victory over the Jets January 30, 2022, at White Auditorium in Emporia, Kan.  The Hornets opened the game on an 8-0 run, but the Jets answered back with the next 10 points as part of a 19-6 run overall to lead 19-14 midway through the first period.  The Hornets battled back to a tie at 29-all, but NU scored four straight to lead with less than four minutes to go in the first half.  The Hornets wrapped up the half on a 10-4 run to lead 39-37 at the break.  An 11-0 run by ESU early in the second half gave the Hornets some breathing room.  The Jets trimmed the deficit below 10 with just over nine minutes to pay, but ESU scored seven straight and NU wouldn't threaten again.  Israel Barnes paced NU with 21 points.  Deandre Johnson didn't score but did snatch a game-high 10 rebounds.
Full Recap | Box Score
 
THIS GYM IS GROSS
Fort Hays State has an astounding 25-2 record against the Jets in games played in Hays.  The Jets and Tigers locked up twice at Sheridan Coliseum prior to the opening of Gross Memorial Coliseum in 1973 with FHSU taking both games.  The Tigers are 23-2 against the Jets at their 'new' home and have won 16 in a row over the Jets there.  NU's last win at Gross came in a 75-69 triumph December 7, 1981.  NU's only other Gross win was a two-point margin on January 14, 1978.
 
FINDING THE MARK
The Jets have been outshot from the field by percentage in six of their last seven games.  In the same span, Navy & Red opponents have also hit a higher percentage of 3-point baskets in six of seven contests.  The Jets have enjoyed an advantage in free throw percentage in four of the last six games.
 
'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.  With 15 assists this season, Lee is currently eighth on the all-time list after passing Jarvis Jackson and Ryan McCarthy.  Lee needs five assists to pass 'The Junkyard Dog' Kevin Bryant who compiled 150 assists in his three-year career for the Jets from 2015-18.
 
CAREER ASSISTS
Rk.           Player                                      Ast           Games    Years      
1.             Ben Ayre                                 240          56            2017-19
2.             Eric Saunders                          208          54            2010-12
3.             Cortrael Colbert                      204          56            2014-16
4.             Tyjil Hereford                          171          98            2017-21
5.             Jake Darby                               169          48            2008-10
6.             Bobby Wesley                         160          47            2010-13
7.             Kevin Bryant                            150          82            2015-18
8.             Ian Lee                                    146          61            2020-23
9.             Jarvis Jackson                          139          54            2007-09
10.           Ryan McCarthy                        135          113          2011-15
 
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. 
 
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 5-3 against the Hornets.
 
REIGNING OVER THE SWARM
Craig Doty is in his fifth season in Emporia and brings with him a national championship tradition.  Doty entered the season 55-55 overall with the Hornets and 38-44 in MIAA play.  Doty's overall record is 217-104 entering the 2022-23 campaign with an impressive 29-7 mark in the postseason.  Doty joined Emporia State after spending two seasons at Graceland of the Heart of America Conference (NAIA) where he went 49-22 from 2016 to 2018 while winning the 2018 NAIA Division I national championship.  Before that, Doty went 113-28 in four seasons at NJCAA Rock Valley, leading the Golden Eagles to four NJCAA Tournament berths and two NJCAA Division III national titles.  As an assistant coach, Doty spent time at Sioux Falls, Riverland Community College (Minn.), Central Wyoming College and Morningside College (Iowa).
 
Doty is 4-3 against Newman.
 
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.
 
LEADING 'THE ASSOCIATION'

• Former Campus Colt Stevie Strong is seventh in the MIAA in scoring at 16.8 ppg.
• Strong is 10^th in 'The Association' shooting 78.9% from the free throw line.
• Strong's 3.5 apg ranks him eighth in the league in assists.
• Strong ranks tied for 10^th in steals with 1.5 pilfers per game.

 
NU STATS 'N STREAKS

• Stevie Strong has scored in double figures in 13-consecutive games dating back to last season. 
• Thomas Zevgaras has scored in double figures in three straight including his career high of 18 last time out at Fort Hays State.
• Khaleem Bennett's streak of three straight games in double figures was snapped at Fort Hays State.
• In conference games, the Navy & Red rank 13^th offensively scoring 62.7 ppg.
• The Jets are ranked 13^th defensively allowing 75.2 ppg against league foes.
• 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.
• The Jets allowed an opponent to register a double-double for the fourth time this season when FHSU's Gabe Pieschl scored 11 points and snatched 10 rebounds in NU's loss at Fort Hays State.  Darrian Nebeker scored 15 points with 10 rebounds for the Lopers in NU's victory at UNK.

 
AND THEN…
The Jets head into 2023 with games at Rogers State and Northeastern State next week.
 
2022-23 MIAA PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
Week 1:  Bennett Stirtz – Northwest Missouri
Week 2:  Alijah Comithier – Emporia State
Week 3:  Will Eames – Missouri Western
Week 4:  Kaleb Hammeke – Fort Hays State
Week 5:  Diego Bernard – Northwest Missouri (2)
Week 6:  Owen Long – Emporia State (2)
 
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