Games 23, 24, & 25:
Newman (4-18, 1-16 MIAA) @ Northeastern State (12-12, 7-11 MIAA)
Thursday, February 17, 2022 | 7:30 p.m. | Tahlequah, Okla. (NSU Event Center)
Audio:  Newman Jets Audio Network | Video:  MIAA Network | Live Stats:  NSU Athletics
 
@ Rogers State (14-10, 8-10 MIAA)
Saturday, February 19, 2022 | 3:30 p.m. | Claremore, Okla. (Claremore Expo Center)
Audio:  Newman Jets Audio Network | Video:  MIAA Network | Live Stats:  RSU Athletics
 
@ Lincoln (2-20, 1-16 MIAA)
Monday, February 21, 2022 | 5:30 p.m. | Jefferson City, Mo. (Jason Gym)
Audio:  None | Video:  MIAA Network | Live Stats:  LU Athletics
 
SOLDIERING ON
Newman men's basketball heads out on its final road trip this week.  The stretch continues what will be an unprecedented eight games in just 18 days for the Navy & Red.  The Lincoln game is a makeup contest which was originally postponed due to Coronavirus protocols inside the Jet program.
 
LAST TIME OUT
The Jets couldn't hold onto a 12-point second-half lead as Missouri Western came back to knock off the Jets 73-67 in Wichita Monday, February 14.  The Jets shot over 60% from the field in the first half to build a 7-point halftime lead.  A 13-2 run including 10-straight points built the 12-point advantage early in the second half, but the Griffons answered with a 10-2 run to cut the deficit to four.  The teams wound up trading the lead for much of the second period.  Leading by one with just over five minutes to go, the Jet offense sputtered as Western went on an 8-1 run over the next four minutes of the game to hold on for the road victory.  Israel Barnes and Ian Lee each tallied 21 points to pace the Jets.  The 21 for Lee was a new season high.
Full Recap | Box Score
 
Earlier last weekend, the Jets fell 83-61 to #13/16 Central Oklahoma.
 
SCOUTING THE SQUADRON
Newman ended last year's pandemic-abbreviated season 4-18 while playing all 22 games within the MIAA.  The Jets return 10 players from a year ago, including two of their top three scorers from that team.  The Jets will suit up four players classified as juniors this season who played at that classification a year ago, but plan to utilize the extra year of eligibility granted by the NCAA in response to the Coronavirus Pandemic.  The Jets welcome five new freshmen to the program and they are joined by three sophomores and three other juniors.  Transferring into the Jets program are former Wichita Southeast High School star Israel Barnes (Texas-Permian Basin, Weber St.), and A. J. Morris (Alcorn St.).
 
TOP RETURNERS
Junior guard Branden Bunn is the Jets' leading returning scorer after scoring 11.8 ppg a year ago.  Bunn also led the Jets in 3-pointers connecting on 42.5% of his attempts.  Bunn also proved a valuable addition to the Jets defense by leading the Navy & Red with 24 steals last season.  Redshirt junior forward Deandre Johnson is NU's leading returning rebounder after snatching 4.3 rpg for the Jets last year.  Sophomore guard Ian Lee returns to pilot the Jets offense after tallying the second-most assists for NU a year ago with 46 dimes against just 40 turnovers.  Lee is also the best returning free throw shooter from last year's team after connecting on over 86% of his tries from the line.
 
BEHIND ENEMY LINES
If the MIAA Tournament began today, NSU would be the last team in to MIAA Madness as the No. 10 seed.  The RiverHawks aim to improve upon a 5-17 record from last season with all 22 games being contested inside 'The Association.'  The 'Hawks are looking to post their first winning season since going 18-11 with an 11-8 MIAA record in 2019-20.  That ended a streak of five-straight losing seasons for NSU from 2014-19.  The RiverHawks started their MIAA tenure in 2012 by making the MIAA Tournament three-straight years.  As the Redmen, NSU became a national power with four-straight 20-win seasons from 1999-2003 culminating with a 32-3 record in 2002-03, an 11-1 record in the Lone Star Conference, and the 2003 NCAA Division II National Championship.  After ending with the national title on their fourth-straight trip to the Big Dance, Northeastern returned to the tournament in 2013, their most recent to date.
 
Rogers State enters this week tied with Central Missouri for eighth in the conference standings.  The Hillcats are looking for a bounce-back season after last year's 11-12 campaign that saw RSU tally an 11-11 mark in MIAA play.  The Hillcats' season ended with a first-round loss at Washburn in the MIAA Tournament.  Last season is Rogers State's only sub-.500 season as an NCAA Division II program.  Since joining NCAA Division II for the 2013-14 season, RSU had posted seven-straight winning seasons until last year.  The Jets are very familiar with their visitors from Claremore, Okla. as the schools battled for six seasons as members of the Heartland Conference.  The Hillcats aborted a planned move to the Lone Star Conference to join the Jets as affiliate members of the MIAA.  Newman and Rogers State are the only two MIAA members that do not sponsor football as an NCAA sport.  The Hillcats have never missed the postseason in their NCAA history and are seeking their second NCAA Tournament berth and first since being unable to participate in the cancelled 2020 event.
 
The Blue Tigers are tied for 13^th place with Newman entering this week's games.  After ending a streak of four-straight winning seasons in 2019-20, Lincoln bounced back with a 12-11 campaign in 2020-21 while going 12-10 in MIAA play.  The Blue Tigers start the week in last place of the MIAA standings.  Outside of an 11-19 record two seasons ago, the Blue Tigers have been on the right side of .500 in five of the last six seasons.  The program turned around under the direction of John Moseley, who departed Lincoln basketball after the 2020-21 season to become the school's Interim (and eventually, full-time) President.  Moseley inherited a program that had suffered through 11-straight losing seasons.  LU didn't win more than eight games in any season over the span and only won more than three conference games twice.  After going 4-24 in his first year, Moseley led the Tigers to four straight winning seasons, a first for LU since the Don Corbett era of the 1970's who is still Lincoln's career coaching leader in win percentage (.729).  The Blue Tigers haven't claimed a conference championship since winning the Heartland Conference title in 2002 when LU went 14-12 but finished atop the league with a 7-3 conference record.  Lincoln hasn't won an MIAA title since 1981 under Ron Coleman who led the Tigers to a 22-8 record and an 11-3 finish inside the MIAA.  Lincoln is seeking its 13^th NCAA Tournament appearance and first since 1981.
 
THE SERIES
Rogers State leads 13-5 and has won five in a row and six of the last seven against the Jets.  Newman is RSU's third-most played rivalry in their recent history behind only former Heartland Conference members Oklahoma Christian and Lubbock Christian.  RSU is 5-0 against the Jets in the MIAA.  The Hillcats went 8-4 against the Jets in the Heartland Conference and won the only postseason and neutral meeting against Newman with a 70-61 win in the first round of the 2019 Heartland Conference Tournament.
 
Northeastern State leads the series 7-3 overall and 4-3 in the Division II era of the rivalry.  Newman has won two straight against the RiverHawks, but the 'Hawks are 3-0 against the Jets in Tahlequah in the NCAA Division II era of the series.  NSU is in front 3-2 in MIAA games between the two schools.
 
Newman leads the series 8-3, but Lincoln has won three straight from the Jets including all three the programs have played as MIAA rivals.  NU was 8-0 in nonconference games against the Blue Tigers and is 4-1 in Jefferson City following last year's defeat.
 
PREVIOUS MATCHUP
NU answered every Northeastern State run with a charge of their own to hold off the RiverHawks and claim their first MIAA win of the year in a 75-66 triumph on Saturday, January 8.  NSU got out to an early lead with a 9-0 run to take a 20-12 advantage in the first half, but the Jets responded by holding the 'Hawks to just nine points after the 10-minute media timeout.  Freshman Stevie Strong poured in 22 points in the second half for the Jets including 13 in a row at one point.  Strong set a new career high with 29 points.
Full Recap | Box Score
 
Five Hillcats scored in double figures as Rogers State dumped 53 points on the Jets in the second half en route to an 85-72 victory over Newman in Wichita Thursday, January 6.  Neither team had success building a big lead in the first half with each squad enjoying no more than a four-point advantage during the frame.  That changed in the second half when RSU answered a period opening layup by Israel Barnes with a 21-2 run to take a 53-32 lead with just over 13 minutes to go.  Rogers State pulled their starters a tad early and the Jets cut the deficit to 10 with 61 seconds to go, but RSU converted free throws down the stretch to stymie the Newman comeback.  Israel Barnes scored 26 in defeat for NU.
Full Recap | Box Score
 
The Blue Tigers roared to a 10-0 start to the game, built an 18-point halftime lead and never looked back in an 80-62 drubbing of the Jets to sweep the season series February 25, 2021.  NU cut the early lead to four on back-to-back threes, but the Blue Tigers responded with another 7-0 run to keep the lead out of the Jets' reach for most of the game.  LU ballooned the lead to 22 points in the second half and NU didn't get closer than 14 in the frame.  Branden Bunn and Joel Boyce each led Newman with 14 points.
Full Recap | Box Score
 
CAPTAIN OF THE FLEET
R. J. Allen begins his fifth season as the head coach of the Jets in 2021.  It will be his 11th season with the program.  Allen has compiled a record of 47-60 over his first 4 years in Wichita with a 7-34 record in MIAA play.  Allen has coached a player to the All-MIAA team each of his first two years in the league.  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 3-6 versus Rogers State, 2-3 against the RiverHawks, and has never beaten the Blue Tigers in three tries.
 
FLYING WITH THE RIVERHAWKS, HERDING THE HILLCATS, AND TRAINING THE TIGERS
Ja Havens is in his second season on the bench at his alma mater after playing for the Redmen from 1996-98.  After departing for one year, he returned to campus as a graduate assistant and helped Northeastern to two Lone Star Conference North Division titles and an appearance in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.  Havens went 5-17 in his first year on the bench in Tahlequah in a season shortened by the 2019-20 Coronavirus Pandemic.  The 'Hawks were immediately competitive with 10 of the 17 losses coming by single-digits and two defeats in overtime.  Havens entered the season with a 136-91 record overall and spent the previous seven years as the head coach at East Central in Ada, Okla.  He is the fastest coach to 100 wins in ECU history and led the Tigers to two regular season Great American Conference titles, the 2017 GAC Tournament crown, and the program's first NCAA Tournament appearance later that season.  Havens never missed the postseason in Alva and never posted a losing record with three 20-win seasons, setting a new program record with 25 wins with his 2016-17 team.  Havens is 1-2 against the Jets.
 
Justin Barkley is in his 12^th season as the head coach of Rogers State men's basketball and had amassed a record of 229-118 coming into the season.  Under Barkley's direction, Rogers State was one of the most consistent Heartland Conference programs and successfully transitioned to immediate success in the nationally-recognized MIAA.  Barkley's only losing season was last year when the Hillcats finished 11-12 in the Coronavirus-shortened 2020-21 season.  Barkley has led RSU to at least 20-wins seven times and is an incredible 125-30 at home inside the Claremore Expo Center.  From 2015-2017, Barkley coached three-straight Heartland Conference Players of the Year.  In the program's first year in the MIAA, RSU earned their first-ever Top 25 ranking as an NCAA member and finished the season ranked 18^th in the country, earning an at-large bid to the cancelled 2020 NCAA Tournament.  Barkley previously led Rogers State to two NAIA Tournament appearances in their final two seasons as an NAIA member while finishing the season in the Top 25 of the NAIA rankings both years.  Barkley's 2016 Hillcats won the Heartland Conference championship while the program was ineligible for postseason play while transitioning from the NAIA and Barkley was honored as the 2016 Heartland Conference Coach of the Year. 
 
Barkley is in his 14^th season on the Hilltop overall after spending two seasons as an assistant coach before being hired in April 2010 to take over the program.  Barkley has spent his entire coaching career inside the Sooner State with stops at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M as an assistant coach and at Northeastern State, his alma mater, as a graduate assistant coach.  As a player, Barkley helped lead the Redmen of NSU to the 2003 NCAA Division II National Championship and also won a state title as a high school player at Inola High School in 1998.  Barkley is 13-5 against NU teams.
 
Ed Wilson was named the interim head coach of Blue Tiger basketball in May of 2021.  He previously spent the last seven seasons as the program's lead assistant coach under John Moseley and helped lead the team to six-straight appearances in the postseason.  In 2016, Wilson was on the bench for LU's first postseason victory since 1987.  Wilson's coaching career began at his alma mater Penn Valley in 2008.  In six seasons with the Scouts, Penn Valley notched four 20-win years and five winning seasons with a pair of regional titles and two NJCAA Tournament appearances.  As a player, Wilson was first team All-Region as a freshman and led his Scouts to a 29-6 season that ended with a defeat in the NJCAA title game.  Wilson was inducted into the Scouts' Hall of Fame in 2010.  Wilson played two seasons at Park University and led the team in scoring and rebounding and was honored as an all-conference selection as a senior.  This will be Wilson's first meeting against the Navy & Red.
 
NEW MANAGEMENT
Kyle McLeroy begins his first year as assistant coach at Newman after spending the previous two years as a graduate assistant at Dallas Baptist University, a former Heartland Conference rival of the Jets.  Serving under long-time head coach Dr. Blake Flickner, McLeroy helped lead the Patriots to a 38-14 record over his two seasons.  DBU also earned a berth into two NCAA Tournaments with McLeroy on the bench.
 
McLeroy prepped at Cypress Ranch High School in Cypress, Texas before beginning his collegiate career at the University of Mary-Hardin Baylor.  As a freshman, he helped the Crusaders to a 25-3 record and a No. 5 ranking in the NCAA Division III Top 25.  He redshirted the next season and then transferred to NCAA Division I Sam Houston State.  There he led the Bearkats to a combined 50-20 record over his two seasons and helped set a new NCAA DI-era program record with 26 wins in the 2014-15 season.  Sam Houston State played twice in the Southland Conference Tournament championship game and made two appearances in the College Insider Tournament with McLeroy on the roster.
 
HEY MAN, NICE SHOT
Newman's 50% field goal shooting against Missouri Western was NU's second best of the season and was just the second time NU has made at least half their shots this season.  NU connected at a 50.9% clip from the field in their loss at Emporia State last month.
 
TIME TO GET TOUGH
The Jets will look to build toughness through the last two weeks of the 2021-22 season.  NU has been outrebounded in four straight games.  The Jets were minus eight on the glass against Missouri Western last time out.
 
LEADING 'THE ASSOCIATION'

• Wichita-native Israel Barnes is fifth in the conference in scoring in MIAA games at 19.5 ppg.
• Freshman guard Stevie Strong is lighting up the scoreboard at the foul line for the Jets.  Entering the week, Strong's 87.7% at the line is fourth best in the league and ranks 28^th in the country.  Strong is also 8^th in the league in 3-pointers per game (2.1).
• Deandre Johnson is tied for eighth in rebounding (6.4 rpg) inside 'The Association' play.
• Canadian guard Ian Lee is ninth in the league in assists per game (3.2) and sixth in assist to turnover ratio (1.9).

 
NU STATS 'N STREAKS

• The Jets entered the week 14^th in the conference in scoring in MIAA games at 65.3 ppg and 13^th in scoring defense allowing 76.2 ppg.
• NU will look to end a eight-game losing streak with a win during this three-game road trip.
• Junior guard Israel Barnes poured in 21 points against Missouri Western, his second straight 20+ point performance.  He's scored at least 20 points in five of his last six.
• Former Haysville Campus Colt Stevie Strong dished a career-high six assists in NU's lost to Missouri Western.
• UNK's David Simental's 33 points against the Jets in Wichita were the most scored against the Jets since Ryan Hawkins lit NU up for 30 in a Jet loss at #3 Northwest Missouri January 21, 2021.  It was five points shy of the all-time record for most points scored against the Jets currently held by Shimeek Johnson who dumped 38 on the Navy & Red in a game at St. Edwards March 2, 2013.
• Barnes poured in a career-high 28 points in Newman's defeat to Fort Hays State in Wichita.  His six treys in the game were also a personal best and the most he'd hit since knocking down four in a game his freshman year at Weber State against Idaho State.
• Graduate transfer A. J. Morris dished out a career-high six assists against the Tigers in Wichita.  It was the most since he had five in a game at North Carolina State as a junior at Alcorn State.
• Tyler Geiman's 11 assists against the Jets' loss at Washburn were the most for an opponent since Cameron Potts dished 11 assists in Newman's defeat at Lincoln February 25, 2021.
• Sophomore guard Ian Lee matched his personal best of seven assists against Northwest Missouri.  It was his best passing performance since dishing seven assists as a freshman at NCAA Division I Howard.
• Strong poured in a career-high 29 points and five three-pointers in NU's first MIAA victory of the season against Northeastern State.
• Northeastern State forward Emeka Obukwelu's 20 rebounds for Northeastern State in the Jets' victory over the RiverHawks tied the most rebounds ever grabbed by a Newman opponent.  Antjuan Ball also snared 20 rebounds against the Jets in a loss at West Texas A&M December 7, 2013.  It is also the most grabbed by any player in the conference this season tying his own season-high from November.
• Strong snared a career-best six rebounds in NU's loss to Rogers State.
• Lee matched a career high with four three-pointers at Central Oklahoma.  He previously hit four in a game against Central Missouri last season.
• Redshirt junior forward Deandre Johnson matched a career high of 14 rebounds in a loss at UCO.  Johnson also corralled 14 boards his sophomore season in a game at Arkansas-Fort Smith.  In the same game this season he also set a new career best with three assists.
• Stevie Strong set a new career high with 24 points in NU's loss at Nebraska-Kearney.  Strong's perfect career ended at UNK when he missed his fifth try at the foul strip against the Lopers, ending a streak of 29-straight free throws.
• Morris snared a career-high five rebounds in NU's loss at Nebraska-Kearney.  Morris has also matched his career-best of two steals for a ninth time this season.
• Johnson swatted four shots to set a new career best for blocks in the Jets' loss to the Lopers.
• Canadian Kwaku Agyapong scored a career-high five points at Nebraska-Kearney.
• Stevie Strong set new career highs with four assists and three steals against Washburn.
• Freshman guard Aleksa Jovanovic grabbed a career-high three rebounds and recorded his first career block in the Navy & Red's loss to Washburn.
• Junior forward Deandre Johnson was a perfect 5 of 5 from the field scoring a season-high 11 points in NU's loss at Missouri Southern.  It is the only time in Johnson's career he has shot 100% from the field while taking at least five shots.
• Despite partially tearing ligaments in his ankle, junior guard David Javorsky hauled in a career-high nine rebounds at Pittsburg State.  Earlier this year, Javorsky matched his career best of three steals against Manhattan Christian College.
• Second-year freshman forward Jorge Oliva set a new career best with five boards in NU's loss at Pittsburg State.
• Agyapong captured a career-high five rebounds against Sterling.
• Graduate guard A. J. Morris notched an NU-career-best 11 points in the Navy & Red's season opening loss @ Concordia-St. Paul.
• 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.

 
WHAT'S NEXT?
The Jets wrap up the regular season with Homecoming and Senior Day next week.
 
MIAA PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
Week 1:  Tray Buchanan – Emporia State
Week 2:  Trevor Hudgins – Northwest Missouri
Week 3:  Tray Buchanan (2) – Emporia State (2)
Week 4:  Trevor Hudgins (2) – Northwest Missouri (2)
Week 5:  Camryn Givens – Central Oklahoma
Week 6:  Isaiah Wade – Central Oklahoma (2)
Week 7:  Trevor Hudgins (3) – Northwest Missouri (3)
Week 8:  Tray Buchanan (3) – Emporia State (3)
Week 9:  Tray Buchanan (4) – Emporia State (4)
Week 10:  Isaiah Wade (2) – Central Oklahoma (3)
Week 11:  Trevor Hudgins (4) – Northwest Missouri (4)
Week 12:  Tray Buchanan (5) – Emporia State (5)
Week 16:  Tray Buchanan (6) – Emporia State (6)