Games 1 & 2:
 
Newman 0-0 (0-0 MIAA) vs MIAA/NSIC Conference Challenge
 
vs. Concordia St. Paul 0-0 (0-0 NSIC)
Saturday November 11, 2023 | 8:00 PM | Wichita, KS (Fugate Gymnasium)
Audio: Jets Audio Network | Video: MIAA Network | Stats
 
vs. Minot State 0-0 (0-0 NSIC)
Sunday November 12, 2023 | 3:00 PM | Wichita, KS (Fugate Gymnasium)
Audio: Jets Audio Network | Video: MIAA Network | Stats
 
There's No Place Like Home (to start the season)
Men's Basketball opens the 23/24 season at home for back-to-back games with two NSIC foes. The Jets will be hosting this edition of the MIAA/NSIC challenge, having been on the road the last five years to open up the season. The last time the Jets began their season on the opening day was back in 2017, when Newman defeated Cameron in overtime during the Lone Star/Heartland Conference Challenge.
 
Last Time Out
Newman hosted Central Oklahoma in their final game of the 22/23 season for senior day. The Bronchos, who were ranked in the national poll at the time, made it very tough on the Jets. Newman only shot 29.63% from the field, making only 8 of their 27 field goal attempts in the first half. The Jets would make over half of their shots in the second half, but it was too late to mount any comeback. Stevie Strong, who was the MIAA leading scorer last season, had 20 points, while Thomas Zevgaras had 12. They were the only two Newman players in the game to hit double digits, with every other player being held to seven points or less. The Jets would make all but one of their free throws for the day, making eight of nine.
Box Score | Recap
 
 Scouting the Squadron
The Jets return many key pieces for the upcoming season. Stevie Strong returns after an outstanding campaign that saw him finish as the conference's top scorer. Four more players that started in games last season will return, including senior guard Latik Murphy, who shot nearly 40% from three.

The Jets went 9-19 last season, going 5-17 in the MIAA. It was the most wins in conference play since Newman joined the MIAA in the 2019-20 season.
 
Coaching Carousel
R.J. Allen enters his 7^th year at the helm of the program and brings with him a coaching group that has had vast experience at the collegiate level. Noah Gosse enters as the team's new assistant coach, previously having served as an assistant for Ellsworth Community College. Hollis Mitchell also enters his first season as an assistant. Hollis played and worked for Ottowa in his time there. Austin McBeth rounds out the group, who previously was the head coach at local rivals Friends University.
 
Behind Enemy Lines
Concordia St. Paul is coming off an 8-20 season last year. The Golden Bears finished with 6 wins in the NSIC but finished at the bottom of the south division in the conference. CSP returns leading scorer, Antwan Kimmons, who transferred to the program last season after spending several years at Northern Iowa. Kimmons was also named conference newcomer of the year and was voted to the first-team all-conference at the end of the season after averaging 21.1 points a game. CSP was picked to finish 12^th in the preseason coaches poll.

Minot State fared slightly better in the NSIC last season, finishing with 7 wins in conference play and 11 wins overall. Matt Murken will enter his 12^th season as head coach of the Beavers. Minot State made the NSIC Tournament last season, winning their first-round game against Southwest Minnesota in triple overtime. They would go to lose to the one seeded Northern State in a very close contest that only saw the Beavers lose by five.
 
The Series
The Jets are 1-1 all time against Concordia St. Paul. The Jets have opened the season for three straight years against the Golden Bears, including getting a 97-85 victory to open last season.

Stevie Strong opened his incredible campaign with 40 points in that season opener, hitting 11 of 18 shots, 5 three pointers, and making 13 of his 14 free throw attempts. R.J. Allen will go up against his alma mater for the third straight year, as both teams look to take an advantage in the series.

Sunday's game between the Jets and Beavers will be the first time the two teams have met.
 
First Impressions
R.J. Allen is 2-4 all time in season openers as head coach for the navy and red. The Jets are 1-1 in that span when they open the season at home.
 
Upcoming Attractions
The Jets take on Kansas Christian at home next Thursday, and then head on the road for the only time in the non-conference slate to take on William Jewell.