Games 25 & 26:
Newman (2-22, 0-18 MIAA) @ Northeastern State (5-9, 3-15 MIAA)
Thursday, February 17, 2022 | 5:30 p.m. | Tahlequah, Okla. (NSU Event Center)
Audio:  Newman Jets Audio Network | Video:  MIAA Network | Live Stats:  NSU Athletics
 
@ Rogers State (10-15, 6-13 MIAA)
Saturday, February 19, 2022 | 1:30 p.m. | Claremore, Okla. (Claremore Expo Center)
Audio:  Newman Jets Audio Network | Video:  MIAA Network | Live Stats:  RSU Athletics
 
ONCE MORE UNTO THE BREACH
The Jets make their final road trip of the 2021-22 season this week.
 
LAST TIME OUT
A cold third quarter slowed down the Jets in a 77-62 defeat to Central Oklahoma Saturday, February 12 in Wichita.  The Jets battled with the Bronchos throughout the entire first half, but a sluggish start to the game put Newman behind 44-39 at the break.  Central held Newman to just nine third-quarter points on 4 of 15 shooting from the field (26.7%) and the Navy & Red couldn't get closer in the fourth.  Britney Ho poured in 17 of her career-high 19 points in the first half.
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 is suiting up one senior 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
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.  Nilles is NU's leading returning scorer after averaging 6.2 ppg last season.  Nilles is also the Navy & Red's leading returning rebounder after grabbing 2.5 rpg a season ago.  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
The RiverHawks enter the week with work to do in order to make the MIAA Tournament.  NSU is currently in 12^th place with room for only 10 teams in Kansas City.  Northeastern State finished 6-16 a season ago with all 22 games coming inside the MIAA.  It was the eighth-straight losing season for the RiverHawks since going 19-8 with a 14-4 MIAA record in their first year as a league member.  It was the 14^th consecutive winning season for the program that won six North Division titles in the Lone Star Conference and the 2003 Lone Star Conference Tournament.  The RiverHawks finished as the runner-up in the MIAA in 2013 but haven't notched a winning league record since.  NSU finished their last two seasons as a Lone Star Conference member going 53-12 with a 25-3 LSC record.  As an independent school, the 'Hawks went 25-5 in 2011-12 and made their third consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance and the program's most recent.  NSU claims seven NCAA appearances overall and twice have made the Sweet 16.  NSU is looking to end a three-year postseason drought by making the MIAA Tournament for the first time since 2018 this season.
 
As the standings sit currently, RSU is in 11^th place, one spot short of qualifying for the MIAA Tournament.  Rogers State took a step in the right direction last year finishing 6-16 with all 22 games coming in MIAA action.  It was a two-win improvement over the previous season as the Hillcats look to notch their first winning year since a 14-12 finish in 2015-16.  The Hillcats haven't finished with a winning conference record since going 12-4 in the Sooner Athletic Conference in 2012-13 in the program's last season as an NAIA member.  RSU capped their time in the NAIA with five consecutive winning seasons, the last four of which were 20-win campaigns.  Since joining NCAA Division II in 2013, the Hillcats have managed just one winning season in eight tries and have suffered back-to-back losing seasons since joining the MIAA.  The Hillcats are looking for their first national postseason tournament appearance since going 1-1 in the 2013 NAIA Tournament.  The Hillcats haven't tasted postseason play since a first-round loss to No. 5 seed St. Edwards in the final Heartland Conference Tournament in 2019.  RSU is seeking its first NCAA Tournament appearance.
 
THE SERIES
The RiverHawks lead the series 5-1 and have taken three in a row from the Navy & Red.  NSU leads 4-1 in MIAA games and beat the Jets in the teams' only postseason meeting in the first round of the 2012 NCAA Tournament.
 
Newman leads Rogers State 12-5 in the all-time series.  The Hillcats snapped the Jets five-game winning streak in the series in Wichita with their victory over the Jets in the teams' last meeting.  Prior to that meeting, NU had won four of the previous five and eight of the last 10 in the series.  NU leads 3-2 in the MIAA era of the rivalry and went 9-3 against the 'Cats in the Heartland Conference.
 
PREVIOUS MATCHUP
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
 
Rogers State ended the game on a 9-0 run to ground the Jets 66-53 Tuesday, January 18 in Wichita.  The Jets took the early lead with 18 points in the first quarter, but RSU answered by outscoring the Jets 18-11 in the second to take a 32-29 halftime advantage.  A Sydney Nilles jumper brought the Jets within four with just under four minutes to play, but the Jets were shut out the rest of the way.  Lauryn Dubbert led Newman with 15 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.
 
The Johnsons are 0-1 against the RiverHawks and Hillcats.
 
FLYING WITH THE RIVERHAWKS & HERDING THE HILLCATS
Fala Suiaunoa (formerly Bullock) is in her fifth season on the bench for the RiverHawks in Tahlequah.  She entered the season with a 125-149 overall record in nine seasons as a head coach and began the year 27-76 in MIAA play.  Her first team is NSU's last to make the postseason and it is also NSU's most recent team to win at least 10 games.  Prior to taking over at Northeastern State, Suiaunoa spent four seasons at Armstrong State and took her 2013-14 squad to the Sweet 16 in the NCAA tournament.  After going 21-8 in her first year, Armstrong State went 39-44 over Suiaunoa's final three seasons.  She started her career by leading Central Georgia to a 38-22 record over two seasons from 2011-13.  Suiaunoa is 4-1 against Newman in Tahlequah.
 
Kyle Bent is in his fourth year leading Hillcat women's basketball and entered the season with a career record of 185-149 with an 88-79 mark in conference play.  Through 2020-21, Bent was 119-92 at 4-year schools and 24-54 at Rogers State with an 8-33 record inside 'The Association.'  Bent's best Hillcat team was his first in 2018-19, a team that finished 14-14 overall and fourth in the Heartland Conference standings with a 7-7 record.  Bent's last two seasons on 'The Hilltop' are the only two that his teams have missed the postseason.  Prior to joining RSU, Bent coached four successful seasons at Martin Methodist (renamed to University of Tennessee Southern in 2021) and went 95-38 while leading the RedHawks (now FireHawks) to a 53-19 record in the Southern States Athletic Conference.  Bent finished with at least 21 wins in his four seasons with the 'Hawks and led them to the 2018 SSAC title and four NAIA Tournament appearances. 
 
In his first collegiate job, Bent transformed Danville Area Community College into a contender in just four seasons.  DACC finished 3-26 his first year but went 63-31 over his next three seasons, culminating by sharing the 2014 Mid-West Athletic Conference regular season championship.  For his effort, Bent was recognized as the 2012 NJCAA Region XXIV Coach of the Year.  Bent's coaching career started at his alma mater where he coached the University of Illinois Women's Club basketball team to a 36-8 record, a whopping 34-win improvement over the previous year, and the 2010 Women's National Collegiate Club Basketball Championship.  Bent is 2-5 against the Jets in his RSU career.
 
PUTTING IN THE TIME
When Carissa Beck logged 40 minutes in Newman's loss to Northeastern State, she was the first Jet to log at least that many minutes 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.  Robinson played a whopping 44 minutes in the game while DeGrate registered 40 minutes.  Beck hasn't slowed down since then, registering 40 minutes against Rogers State, Northwest Missouri, and at Washburn.  Over a four-game stretch from January 8 to January 18, Beck played all but four available minutes for the Jets.  She has logged 34 minutes or more in 13 of NU's last 15 games.  In Newman's games from January 22 to January 30, Beck played all but five available minutes for NU and has played all 40 minutes five times this season, all occurring after Christmas break.  Beck's most recent 40-minute performance was in the Jets loss at home to #22 Nebraska-Kearney.
 
THAWING OUT THE OFFENSE
Newman's offense is showing signs of life after connecting at over 40% from the field in the last two games.  It is the first time inside 'The Association' that the Jets have shot at least 40% from the field in back-to-back games and the first time the Jets have done it this season since shooting over 40% in three-straight games in November.
 
THEY'RE BACK
Turnovers have turned into an issue again for Newman women's basketball.  The Jets have turned it over at least 20 times in three of the last four games.  Prior to that, the Jets turned it over just 27 times combined in games against Northwest Missouri and at Washburn.
 
MADE IN THE MIDWEST
The Jets didn't have to acquire any frequent-flyer miles to arrive on campus.  All 15 Jets hail from the Central Time Zone and represent just three different states.  Nine Jets stayed home in Kansas to play for NU, four made the trip north from Texas, and two came west from Missouri.
 
BRINGING THEIR 'A' GAME

• Junior shooting guard Carissa Beck is eighth in the MIAA in 3-pointers per game (1.7).
• The Navy & Red start the week fifth in the MIAA in Free-Throw Percentage at 74.7%.

 
NU STATS N' STREAKS

• Coming into this week, NU ranked 14^th in the league in scoring offense in MIAA games at 47 ppg.  Newman is ninth in scoring defense allowing 67.6 ppg in conference play.
• The Jets look to end their 18-game losing streak and a 20-game losing slide in conference play with a victory this week.  The 18-game losing streak is the longest in program history, passing last season's nine-game losing slide.
• Wichita-native Britney Ho scored a career-high 19 points in the Jets' loss to Central Oklahoma in Wichita.  She has scored in double figures in back-to-back games.
• Former Cowley County Community College Tiger Torri Vang scored a career-high eight points in the Jets' loss to #22 Nebraska-Kearney in Wichita.  Vang nailed a personal best two treys in the contest.  The former Goddard Lion played a career-high 31 minutes in the game making her fifth consecutive start.
• Beloit, Kan., freshman Lauryn Dubbert grabbed a career-high three steals against Fort Hays State in Wichita.
• Junior transfer guard Carissa Beck matched a career high of two steals against the #22 Lopers.  She also nailed a personal-best three 3-pointers for the sixth time in the same game.
• Newman's 79-30 defeat against #6 Fort Hays State in Wichita is the Jets' largest defeat in the NCAA Division II era of the program.  NU's second-most lopsided loss also came at the hands of the Tigers earlier this season when the Jets fell at #5 Fort Hays State 90-44 in the Navy & Red's last game of the first semester.  The 30 NU points matched the program low for offense in a game with their 30 scored in a 47-30 loss at Washburn earlier this season.
• Freshman center Laura Bello snared a career-high 12 rebounds in NU's loss to the Lady Hornets in Emporia.
• Dubbert matched her career-high of two 3-pointers at Emporia State.
• Vang pilfered a career-high two steals at Washburn.
• Newman's 30 points in their loss at Washburn were the fewest ever scored by the Jets as an NCAA Division II program.  The previous low was 33 points in a 50-33 defeat against St. Edwards January 8, 2009 and in a 66-33 defeat at Lubbock Christian February 7, 2015.
• Dubbert dished out a career-high five assists against Northwest Missouri.
• Vang grabbed a career-best seven rebounds and matched a personal best with two assists against Northwest Missouri while logging a career high 27 minutes.  Vang topped 20 minutes in two of Newman's three games last week and made her first career start against the Bearcats.  Vang also matched a career high of two assists in the same game.
• Bello set a new career high mark with two blocks against Northwest Missouri.
• The Navy & Red's 31 turnovers against Missouri Western were the most since the Jets gave it away 31 times against Incarnate Word on January 30, 2010.  The NCAA-era record for turnovers in a game by the Jets is 36 set in a loss at Emporia State November 19, 2008.
• Newman freshman Alicia Mills scored a career-high five points in NU's loss to the Griffons.
• Dubbert scored a career-high 15 points and a career-best two 3-pointers in NU's loss to Rogers State.  Beck also tallied a new personal best of 13 points in the same game.
• Former Derby Panther Sydney Nilles set a new career high with eight rebounds at Central Missouri.
• Senior guard Makayla Hayes doubled her rebounding career high by controlling 12 boards in NU's loss at Lincoln.  Her previous best of six also came at Jason Gym in Jefferson City last season.  She also matched a career high of two steals for the second time in the same game.
• Ho matched a career high of two steals @ Lincoln.
• 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.
• Nilles matched a career-high of three steals for the fourth time in NU's loss to Washburn in Wichita.
• Ho scored a career-high 17 points on 8 of 12 shooting in the Jets' home defeat to Emporia State.
• Nilles tallied a career-high eight assists in NU's loss to the Lady Hornets in Wichita.
• Beck nabbed a personal best six rebounds in the Jet's defeat to ESU at Fugate Gymnasium.
• 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.
• Vang set a new career high with 4 points in NU's victory against MCC.
• 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.
• 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 grabbed a personal-best eight rebounds against Mary.
• Dortland set a program record for most points in a 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!
The Jets wrap up the season with Homecoming and Senior Day on Thursday and Saturday 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)
Week 9:  Lacy Stokes – Missouri Southern
Week 10:  Maleeah Langstaff – Northeastern State
Week 11:  Lacy Stokes (2) – Missouri Southern (2)
Week 12:  Lacy Stokes (3) – Missouri Southern (3)
Week 13:  Lacy Stokes (4) – Missouri Southern (4)