Games 14 & 15:
Newman (5-8, 1-6 MIAA) vs. Missouri Western (8-6, 4-4 MIAA)
Thursday, January 12, 2023 | 7:30 p.m. | Wichita, Kan. (Fugate Gymnasium)
Audio: Newman Jets Audio Network (Play-by-Play:  Blake Cripps) | Video:  MIAA Network | Live Stats:  NU Athletics
 
vs. #4 Northwest Missouri (14-1, 7-1 MIAA)
Saturday, January 14, 2023 | 3:30 p.m. | Wichita, Kan. (Fugate Gymnasium)
Audio: Newman Jets Audio Network (Play-by-Play:  Blake Cripps) | Video:  MIAA Network | Live Stats:  NU Athletics
 
A FRESH START
Newman returns to Wichita for its final home games of the month this week.
 
LAST TIME OUT
The Jets led by seven at the half but the Navy & Red offense sputtered in the second half and NSU caught the Jets 64-56 Saturday Jan. 7 at the NSU Event Center in Tahlequah, Okla.  The Jets got off the blocks quickly and sizzled the nets to the tune of 54.2% shooting in the first half, but the Jets couldn't back it up and shot just 27.6% in the final 20 minutes.  Newman led by seven with just over 10 minutes to play in the game when NSU ripped off a 21-6 run to end the game.  Stevie Smith led Newman with 18 points.
Full Recap | Box Score
 
The Jets fell 84-77 earlier last week at Rogers State.
 
BEHIND ENEMY LINES
Missouri Western started the week in ninth place in the conference standings.  The Griffons were unable to continue their recent momentum in 2021-22.  After back-to-back winning seasons, the Griffons finished 14-17 a year ago with a 10-12 MIAA record.  2021 marked Western's return to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2010 ending a 10-year drought.  The Griffons finished 18-12 with a 12-8 MIAA record in 2009-10 which, until the last two seasons, was the last winning record for the program and the last time they finished above .500 inside 'The Association' until an 18-14 season in 2019-20 that saw Western go 13-6 against league foes.  The Griffons made their only other Big Dance trip this millennium following a 23-7 campaign in 2001-02 in which the Griffs finished 16-3 versus MIAA opponents.  Missouri Western is looking for its 13^th berth in the NCAA Tournament in 2023 and fourth-straight postseason appearance overall.
 
Coming into the week, Missouri Western was led in scoring by Julius Dixon at 12.9 ppg.  Taye Fields paces the Griffons in rebounds at 7.4 rpg which ranked fourth to start Week 9 in the MIAA.  Reese Glover ranked tied for fourth at 43.8% from outside the arc to begin the week and was also tied for fourth at 2.7 three-balls per game.
 
The Griffons picked up a 62-55 win against Fort Hays State on Tuesday.
 
Northwest Missouri looks to continue their dominance of the country in 2023 and is currently second place in the MIAA standings and two games back in the win column from Central Oklahoma.  The Bearcats have won or shared a staggering nine MIAA titles in a row and 10 of the league's last 11.  Northwest has now tallied 11-straight winning seasons and all of them have included at least 21 wins.  Northwest has appeared in the NCAA Tournament in each of the last nine seasons and ten of the last 11 and has captured four of the last six NCAA Division II National Championships including the 2022 title.  Northwest hasn't missed the postseason since three consecutive losing seasons from 2008-2011 in the last year of the Steve Tappmeyer era and the first two seasons of Ben McCollum's tenure in Maryville.  The Bearcats are seeking their 23^rd NCAA Tournament appearance in 2023 and their 12^th consecutive postseason appearance overall.
 
The Bearcats lead the league at 76.4 ppg in conference play and rank second defensively allowing just 61.4 ppg.  Diego Bernard leads the 'Cats in offense and his 15.9 ppg ranks eighth in the MIAA this seasons.
 
THE SERIES
Western leads the series 3-0 with the all the games being played as MIAA rivals.  The Griffons lead 2-0 in Wichita.
 
Northwest Missouri leads the series 3-1.  The teams played one game in 1985 that was won by the #2 Jets.  The series did not resume until the programs were conference members inside the MIAA at the start of the 2019-20 season.  Northwest leads 3-0 in MIAA games and is 2-0 in Wichita.  NU has never played an unranked Bearcat team in MIAA play.  Bernard also is Northwest's best rebounder at 5.2 rpg while shooting 61.5% from the field, which is second in the conference behind only teammate Bennett Stirtz's 64.8% field goal shooting.
 
PREVIOUS MATCHUP
The Jets built a seven-point halftime lead but couldn't hold it as Missouri Western used a bit second half to claim a 73-67 come-from-behind win February 14, 2022, at Fugate Gymnasium in Wichita.  The game was moved from earlier in the season due to Coronavirus protocols in the Griffon program and was part of a historic stretch of 8 games in 18 days for NU to end the season.  The Jets appeared to be in control after a 10-point run stretched into and out of half time to give the home team a 44-32 lead just seconds into the second half.  The Griffons slowly chipped into the lead before a 7-0 run put the Griffons on top midway through the frame.  The teams traded the lead down the stretch but Western converted at the free throw line late to seal the win.  Western shot 19 of 30 at the charity stripe while Newman converted just 6 of 10 shots at the free throw line.  Ian Lee and Israel Barnes paced NU with 21 points apiece.
Full Recap | Box Score
 
Four Bearcats scored in double figures on the way to a 50-point second half as #2 Northwest Missouri outpaced Newman 82-53 January 22, 2022, at Fugate Gymnasium in Wichita.  The Jets held their own early and the score was tied 14-all midway through the first period.  Northwest used a late 7-3 run to build a 32-22 halftime lead.  The Jets trimmed the deficit to single digits early in the second period, but the Bearcats answered with an 18-5 run that slammed the door on Newman.  Northwest shot 60.7% from the field in the second half including 8 of 16 shooting from outside the arc.  Newman shot just 36% for the game.  Israel Barnes and Stevie Strong each scored 12 for the Navy & Red.
Full Recap | Box Score
 
STEVIE POWER
The Jets' two players named Stevie have been carrying the load for NU.  Stevie Smith has led NU in scoring in two straight games and averaged nearly 22 ppg in NU's games last week.  Stevie Strong was second in scoring behind Smith in both games last week averaging nearly 15 ppg in the contests.  In NU's first game of the second semester against ESU, it was Strong's turn to lead NU in scoring with 23 points while Smith tied for the second most points for Newman with 11.
 
A DEFINITE STEP UP
To get a sense of the strength of the MIAA, Newman's new league, all one has to do is check the number of games Newman is playing against ranked teams.  The Jets host a nationally ranked Northwest Missouri team this week and has never played against an unranked Northwest squad in NCAA competition.  NU's first twelve seasons as an NCAA program were spent in the Heartland Conference and during that time NU played 11 games against the Top 25:  seven against Heartland Conference foes and four against MIAA competition.  NU is now in its fourth season of membership in the MIAA and this weekend will already be playing its 10^th game against a ranked opponent.  With two games on the schedule against Central Oklahoma and one more clash with Emporia State left, NU seems likely to surpass their entire ranked game total in program history prior to joining 'The Association' in just four grueling MIAA seasons.
 
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 0-3 against both the Griffons and the Bearcats.
 
GRINDING WITH THE GRIFFONS AND BRINGING UP THE BEARCATS
Will Martin is in his third year with Missouri Western men's basketball and entered the season with a 28-28 record in St. Joseph and a 23-21 mark in conference play.  The Griffons finished tied for third in the league standings and danced in the NCAA Tournament for the first time in a decade in Martin's first season in 2020-21.  Martin ascended to the head coaching role following two years on the staff of former Western head coach Sundance Wicks who returned to his home state to join the coaching staff at Wyoming.  Martin previously spent time as an assistant at Martin Methodist College (NAIA) and as director of basketball operations at San Francisco serving under former Jayhawk Rex Walters.  Martin was a graduate assistant at Tulsa for two seasons working as video coordinator on the staff of former Jayhawk Danny Manning and former Missouri head coach Frank Haith.  Martin's collegiate years were spent as a manager of the men's basketball team at Kentucky.  During his time in Lexington, the Wildcats made three trips to the Elite Eight, twice reached the Final Four, and won the 2012 National Championship with their defeat of Kansas in the title match.  St. Joseph is Martin's only stop as a head coach in his basketball career. 
 
Martin is 2-0 against the Jets while at Western.
 
Ben McCollum is in his 14^th year as the head coach at Northwest Missouri and has transformed Bearcat basketball into the preeminent national power of the sport in NCAA Division II.  McCollum entered the year with a career record of 334-83, all at Northwest, and impressive 201-59 mark in MIAA games.  Following two losing seasons to start his tenure that saw the Bearcats go just 22-31 with a 15-27 record in MIAA play, he has led Northwest to 11 straight seasons with at least 21 wins, 10 MIAA titles including the last nine in a row, six MIAA Tournament crowns and four NCAA Division II National Championships in 2017, 2019, 2021, and 2022.  McCollum is a five-time NABC Coach of the Year which is the most in Division II history and a seven-time MIAA Coach of the Year.  McCollum started his playing career at North Iowa Area Community College before transferring to Northwest Missouri State to play for his mentor and the man he eventually replaced Steve Tappmeyer.  As a player he helped lead the program to its first-ever Elite Eight appearance.  After spending four years as an assistant at Emporia State University between 2004 and 2008, he was given the reins to the Bearcat program in 2009.  McCollum has twice won the Clarence "Big House" Gaines Award presented annually since 2011 to the nation's most outstanding men's basketball coach in NCAA Division II. 
 
He is 3-0 in his career against the Jets.
 
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'

• Entering the week, former Campus Colt Stevie Strong is tied for third in the MIAA in scoring at 16.9 ppg.
• Strong is 10^th in 'The Association' shooting 77.5% from the free throw line.
• Strong's 4.1 apg ranks him third in the league in assists.
• Strong's 1.8 assist to turnover ratio is tied for eighth in the MIAA.
• Strong ranks tied for fifth in steals with 1.6 pilfers per game.

 
NU STATS 'N STREAKS

• Stevie Strong has scored in double figures in 16-consecutive games dating back to last season. 
• Stevie Smith scored a career-high 25 points in NU's loss at Rogers State.
• That gave Smith his third-straight double-figure scoring game.
• Smith drilled a personal best five 3-pointers in the same game.
• Strong matched his career high of 7 rebounds at NSU last week.
• Strong dished out a season-high six assists in the same game.
• Latik Murphy's streak of double figures in three straight was snapped by the RiverHawks last week.
• In conference games, the Navy & Red rank 10^th offensively scoring 63.7 ppg.
• The Jets are ranked 14^th defensively allowing 76.4 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.
• Newman has lost 11 straight against the Top 25.  The Newman men picked up their last win over a ranked foe when they beat #24 Dallas Baptist 74-62 February 24, 2018, to earn the program's first back-to-back wins against ranked foes.
• Newman has never played an unranked Northwest Missouri team in its NCAA history and is 0-3 against the Bearcats in those games.  The Bearcats' consensus #4 ranking make it the lowest ranked Northwest team NU has ever faced.

 
AND THEN…
Newman hits the road to face a Top 25 Central Oklahoma squad on Saturday 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)
Week 7:  Jaden Wells – Central Oklahoma
Week 8:  Jaden Wells (2) – Central Oklahoma (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