Games 24 & 25:
Newman (7-16, 4-14 MIAA) vs. Northeastern State (6-16, 3-15 MIAA)
Wednesday, February 15, 2023 | 5:30 p.m. | Wichita, Kan. (Fugate Gymnasium)
Audio:  Newman Jets Audio Network (Play-by-Play: Blake Cripps) | Video:  MIAA Network | Live Stats:  NU Athletics
 
vs. Rogers State (4-20, 2-16)
Saturday, February 18, 2023 | 1:30 p.m. | Wichita, Kan. (Fugate Gymnasium)
Audio:  Newman Jets Audio Network (Play-by-Play:  Blake Cripps) | Video:  MIAA Network | Live Stats:  NU Athletics
 
YOU SHOULD VISIT
The Jets celebrate Homecoming while hosting two Sooner State rivals this week.
 
LAST TIME OUT
The Jets answered two big Emporia State runs but ran out of time answering the third falling 83-79 to the Lady Hornets Saturday Feb. 11 at White Auditorium in Emporia, Kan.  Emporia State jumped out to a double-digit lead early thanks to a 12-2 run to take a 17-6 lead, but the Jets responded with eight-straight points from Jordon Heckert to trail by three going into the second quarter.  The Hornets rebuilt the lead to 13 in the second period, but the Jets closed the frame on a 7-2 run to end the half down 41-37.  The Jets built a seven-point edge after a 10-0 run ended the third and started the fourth quarter.  Then it was the Hornets' turn to respond with their own 11-0 run to fly back into the lead 72-67 with under five minutes to go.  The Jets closed within three with under a minute to go but couldn't get any closer.  Jordon Heckert led the Jets with a career-high 30 points.
Full Recap | Box Score
 
Earlier in the week, the Jets fended off Washburn for a 74-62 win.
 
WHAT'S AT STAKE
The MIAA playoff picture received some clarity following Week 13's action.  Nebraska-Kearney has leapt into the driver's seat for the conference title riding an 11-game winning streak.  Missouri Western and Central Missouri are each within two games of the Lopers.  On the bottom end, Emporia State and Northwest Missouri didn't clinch but certainly solidified their chances of making the postseason with wins last week.  The six remaining teams are trying to cram into two spots and each has four games to play with the exception of Washburn who has five games remaining and hosts Northwest Missouri Tuesday night.  Washburn and Central Oklahoma are currently in a virtual tie for ninth and would be the last two teams in if the playoffs started today while the Jets would be the first team out of MIAA Madness.  The Jets have three games left against teams in the bottom tier of the conference including a Senior Day matchup with the Bronchos that could serve as a win-and-in game on the last day of the regular season.  As of this week, no teams have been eliminated from postseason contention, though Rogers State will need to win out and get help to make a push to the MIAA Tournament.
 
BEHIND ENEMY LINES
NSU is in 12^th place in the MIAA standings entering the week.  Northeastern State went 7-21 in 2021-22 which was a one-win improvement over the prior year.  The RiverHawks finished 5-17 in MIAA play and finished with their ninth-straight losing season.  The RiverHawks last notched a winning record in their first year in the MIAA in 2012-13 with a 19-8 record and a 14-4 mark in MIAA action.  That was the 14^th consecutive winning season for a 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 has made the Sweet 16.  NSU is looking to end a four-year postseason drought by making the MIAA Tournament for the first time since 2018 this season.
 
Northeastern ranks 13^th offensively in conference play at 56.1 ppg and eighth in defense allowing 67.1 ppg against conference foes.  Ashton Hackler is the RiverHawks' leading scorer at 13.9 ppg and Courtney Lee is eighth in the conference in rebounding at 7.5 rpg.
 
Rogers State enters the week 14^th in the MIAA standings with Northeastern State.  RSU showed progress last season finishing 11-17 with a 7-15 record in MIAA play.  It was the Hillcats' first season with at least 10 wins since finishing 14-14 in RSU's last year in the Heartland Conference in 2018-19.  The 11 wins last year was a five-victory improvement over 2020-21 as RSU looks to notch their first winning season 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 nine tries and have suffered back-to-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.
 
RSU is 14^th in the conference scoring 53.7 ppg inside 'Association' play and ranks 11^th on defense allowing 71.5 ppg in MIAA action.  Bailey Kliewer paces the Hillcats at 12.5 ppg while Trinity Jackson leads the way rebounding at 6.5 rpg.
 
The Hillcats travel to Central Oklahoma to face the Bronchos on Wednesday night.
 
THE SERIES
The RiverHawks lead the series 6-2 against the Navy & Red.  NSU leads 5-2 in MIAA games and beat the Jets in the teams' only postseason meeting in the first round of the 2012 NCAA Tournament.  The Jets ended a four-game losing streak to the 'Hawks in the teams' previous meeting in Tahlequah.
 
Newman leads Rogers State 12-7 with the Hillcats having taken the last three games in the series.    RSU has a 4-3 edge in the MIAA era of the rivalry with the Jets winning 9 of 12 meetings with the 'Cats as Heartland Conference foes.  This is the longest winning streak for RSU in the history of the series.
 
PREVIOUS MATCHUP
NU picked up its first ever win at the NSU Event Center with a come-from-behind 66-61 victory Saturday Jan. 7 in Tahlequah, Okla.  NSU appeared poised to take control of the game in the first half when NU used an 11-4 run to get back into the game.  A Britney Ho layup gave the Jets a six-point lead with 3:49 to go.  NSU cut it to two with under two minutes to go but could never tie the game.  Ho picked up her third double-double of the year with 21 points and 11 rebounds.
Full Recap | Box Score
 
The Jets overcame a slow start to force overtime but ran out of gas falling 78-68 in double overtime to Rogers State January 5, 2023, at the Claremore Expo Center in Claremore, Okla.  The Jets started slow from the field shooting just 3-for-14 in the first quarter while the Hillcats built an 18-6 advantage thanks to 3-for-4 shooting from outside the arc.  The Jets would spend the next 30 minutes digging out from the hole.  The Jets won each of the next three periods and overcame a 45-36 deficit with 6:26 to go with a 13-2 run to take the lead with a minute to play thanks to two Britney Ho free throws.  The Jets gave up a layup to Kamryn Estell on the next possession and Valerija Lioukina stuffed a shot by Bailey Kliewer with less than 10 seconds to play.  After each team scored nine points in the first overtime, the Jets ran into foul trouble and the Hillcats hit 5 of 7 shots in the frame outscoring the Jets 19-9 in the second OT to secure the win.  Ho led the Jets with 19 points.
Full Recap | Box Score
 
A HECKERT OF AN EFFORT
Sophomore guard Jordon Heckert had her breakout performance last week in NU's loss at Emporia State.  Heckert dropped 30 in the game at White Auditorium while hitting eight 3-pointers on 10 shots.  The eight 3-pointers in a game are tied for second-most all time behind only the 10 drilled by teammate Carissa Beck in NU's record-smashing win over Manhattan Christian earlier this year.  The eight threes match Cheniqwa Banks in 2013 and two performances by Kaitlyn Potter in 2019.  Heckert scored 30 of her 72 career points with the Jets in the ESU game last week.
 
SHE SHOOTS, SHE SCORES!
Senior Britney Ho has moved into the top ten in career scoring in program history.  With 680 points, Ho passed Satoria Bell and Abbey George last week.  She is now three points behind Haley Albers who sits eighth in career scoring at 683 points.  With 20 more points, Ho will become the seventh Jet to score at least 700 points in her career.
 
CAREER SCORING
Rk            Player                                      Points      Games    Years      
1.             Bria DeGrate                           1,268       113          2015-19
2.             Hannah Alexander                  938          58            2016-18
3.             Alexandra Ciabattoni              904          53            2012-14
4.             Kaitlyn Potter                          888          59            2018-20
5.             Tasha Cannon                          866          56            2010-12
6.             Mali Wright                             808          97            2013-17
7.             Faith Mason-Vestal                697          94            2018-22
8.             Haley Albers                            683          110          2017-21
9.             Britney Ho                              680          50            2021-23
10.           Abbey George                         679          104          2017-21
 
Ho has also jumped into the top ten in season scoring in NU history passing Bria DeGrate for 10^th all-time.  She needs six points to pass tie Tasha Cannon for ninth.  With 265 points in two seasons at Northeastern State, Ho needs 55 points to reach 1,000 in her collegiate career.
 
IT'S A TOP TEN HIT
Britney Ho has now moved into seventh all-time in career field goals made.  Last month Ho passed Abbey George and Faith Mason-Vestal and is now trailing Kaitlyn Potter's 298 field goals.  Potter's fabulous two-year run with the Jets spanned from 2018 to 2020.  Potter is the only player in program history to receive all-conference honors from two different leagues: a second-team nod from the Heartland Conference, and an Honorable Mention from the MIAA her senior year.
 
CAREER FIELD GOALS MADE
Rk.           Player                                      FGM        Games    Years      
1.             Bria DeGrate                           381          113          2015-19
2.             Hannah Alexander                  375          58            2016-18
3.             Alexandra Ciabbatoni             347          53            2012-14
4.             Tasha Cannon                          340          56            2010-12
5.             Mali Wright                             317          97            2013-17
6.             Kaitlyn Potter                          298          59            2018-20
7.             Britney Ho                              289          50            2021-23
8.             Faith Mason-Vestal                261          87            2018-22
9.             Abbey George                         254          95            2017-21
10.           Haley Albers                            242          103          2017-21
 
Ho is eighth in career field goals in school history passing Cierra Tjaden last week.  Ho now trails Tasha Cannon who attempted 633 field goals from 2010-12.  Ho has tied Cannon for sixth in season field goals made with 169.  Ho's current season and career field goal percentage would both qualify for those top ten lists if her season ended today.
 
IT'S ALL BOARDED UP
Britney Ho isn't just a scorer, she's also established herself as one of the program's most prolific rebounders.  Ho passed Celeste Key for tenth in career rebounds last week with 288 in her career.  She now trails Faith Mason-Vestal who sits in ninth with 351 rebounds in 87 games from 2018-22.
 
CAREER REBOUNDS
Rk.           Player                                      Reb          Games    Years      
1.             Tasha Cannon                          510          56            2010-12
2.             Abbey George                         477          104          2017-21
3.             Cierra Tjaden                          439          107          2013-17
4.             Bria DeGrate                           438          113          2015-19
5.             Haley Albers                            413          110          2017-21
6.             Mali Wright                             407          97            2013-17
7.             Alexandra Ciabattoni              386          53            2012-14
8.             Erica Olerich                            352          53            2015-18
9.             Faith Mason-Vestal                351          87            2018-22
10.           Britney Ho                              288          50            2021-23
 
Ho now trails Erica Olerich by five for 10^th in season rebounding.  Ho's career and season rebounding averages would also rank in the top ten of those lists if her season ended today.
 
CARISSA KNOWS IT ALL
Carissa Beck continues to move up Newman's career 3-point field goals list.  Beck most recently passed Hadley Freeman for seventh on the all-time list.  Beck needs four threes to become the seventh Jet with at least 100 3-pointers in her NU career.
 
CAREER 3PT FIELD GOALS MADE
Rk.           Player                                      3PTM      Games    Years      
1.             Kaitlyn Potter                          196          59            2018-20
2.             Brianna Caldwell                     150          78            2012-16
3.             Bria DeGrate                           143          113          2015-19
4.             Haley Albers                            124          110          2017-21
5.             Rainey Nickel                          113          80            2007-10
                Cheniqwa Banks                     113          54            2012-14
7.             Carissa Beck                           96            51            2021-23
8.             Hadley Freeman                     95            79            2007-10
9.             Braxtyn Stewart                      82            106          2017-21
10.           Rhea Codio                              71            27            2010-11
 
Last month Beck also passed Rhea Codio for ninth on the career 3-point field goals attempted list.  She's now 18 attempts away from catching Stewart's 255 attempts from 2017-21.
 
SHHHHHHHHHHH
Don't tell anyone, but we are obliged to report that Carissa Beck has set the program record for consecutive free throws made at 34.  Beck now ties the NCAA Division II basketball record with Daniel Nwosu of the men's program.  He hit 34 consecutive charity shots over a five-game stretch in the 2016-17 season.  Beck's march to 31 has taken 22 games to accomplish.  Beck hasn't missed a shot from the charity line since going 6-for-8 against Oklahoma Christian in the second game of the season November 18, 2022.  Beck is 9-for-9 at the line over her last three games.
 
THE GLUE GIRL
Graduate Maddie Spagnola has been doing the little things for Newman in her one year with the program and may etch her name into NU's record book despite playing just one season in the Navy & Red.  Spagnola is one assist away from joining Kianna Flannagan in 10^th in season assists with 78.  Spagnola is one steal away from tying Tasha Cannon and Kaitlyn Potter for ninth in season steals with 42.  Spagnola's season averages would also rank in the top ten of those lists if the season ended today.
 
SHE'S GOT COMPANY
Carissa Beck is not the only Jet who is challenging single-season 3-point records this year.  Maddie Spagnola is making a bid to join her on the single-season list.  Beck is currently tied for 10^th on the season 3-pointer list with 45 trifectas this season.  It's her second appearance after nailing 51 threes last year.  Spagnola is just two behind her and has a great chance to join her on the list.  In addition, both shooters would finish on the season 3-point field goal percentage chart if the season ended today.
 
JOHNSON & JOHNSON
Newman began a new era in 2021 as the Jets welcomed Drew Johnson and Nicole Ohlde-Johnson to Wichita as the new leaders of Jets Women's Basketball.  The Johnsons are in their second season at Newman and enter 2022-23 with a 3-25 record at NU while posting a 1-21 mark in MIAA play.  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 Johnsons 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 1-2 against NSU and 0-3 versus the Hillcats
 
FLYING WITH THE RIVERHAWKS & HERDING THE HILLCATS
Fala Suiaunoa (formerly Bullock) is in her sixth season on the bench for the RiverHawks in Tahlequah.  She entered the season with a 132-170 overall record in ten seasons as a head coach and began the year 34-97 at NSU with an 18-78 mark inside the league.  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 previously served as an assistant coach at Midwestern State and Northeastern Oklahoma A&M.  She started her playing career at Irvine Valley College before transferring to Northeastern State as a junior graduating in 2004.
 
Suiaunoa is 5-2 against Newman in Tahlequah.
 
Kyle Bent is in his fifth year leading Hillcat women's basketball and entered the season with a career record of 196-166 with an 95-94 mark in conference play.  Through 2021-22, Bent was 130-109 at 4-year schools and 35-71 at Rogers State with an 22-55 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 three seasons on 'The Hilltop' are the only three in his career 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 4-5 against the Jets in his RSU career.
 
SCOUTING THE SQUADRON
Newman finished 2021-22 with a 3-25 record while going 1-21 in MIAA play.  The Navy & Red return seven players from last year's team including top scorer Britney Ho, who averaged 10.4 ppg.  Ho also led the Jets in total rebounds averaging 5.1 rpg and was the team's best field goal shooter at 49%.  Senior Carissa Beck averaged 32 mpg last year while playing and starting in all 28 contests for the Jets.  Beck scored 6.5 ppg while leading Newman with 51 3-pointers and connecting on 36.7% of her shots from the outside.  Sophomore Lauryn Dubbert was third on the team in assists last year with 59.
 
Newman will carry three seniors on the roster this season while integrating four freshmen into the program.  The Jets welcome eight transfers to the roster in 2022-23 including four from the junior college level, three from NCAA Division II, and one from NCAA Division I.  The Jet lineup features two graduate students, four juniors, and six sophomores.
 
INTERNATIONAL FLIGHTS
Newman's new players arrived in Wichita from all over the country during the offseason and even around the world.  After boasting 15 Jets from just three different states a year ago, Newman women's basketball will have a much more diverse list of hometowns on this year's roster.  Five Jets are from the Sunflower State, three are from Texas with Arizona, Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, and South Dakota also represented.  For the first time in the Johnson era, the Jets have at least one international player on the roster with players from Latvia and Spain joining the squad for 2022-23.
 
BRINGING THEIR 'A' GAME

• Senior Britney Ho is fourth in the MIAA in scoring at 17.4 ppg.
• Ho ranks fifth in the league in shooting percentage at 48%.
• Beck is tied for sixth in the conference with 2.0 3-point field goals per game.
• Graduate Maddie Spagnola is tied for 10^th in the MIAA in assists averaging 3.3 apg.

 
NU STATS N' STREAKS

• Britney Ho has scored in double digits five-straight games and 21 out of her 23 games this season.
• Maddie Spagnola has hit a 3-pointer in 15-consecutive games.
• Valeriya Lioukina has scored in all 23 games of her Jet career.
• In MIAA action, NU is 11^th offensively scoring 58.8 ppg.
• The Jets rank 13^th defensively allowing 74.5 ppg against MIAA competition.
• 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.
• Tre'Zure Jobe scored 35 points against the Jets for Emporia State Saturday, shooting 13-for-29 from the field.  The 29 field goals attempted are the most ever by a player against the Jets surpassing Kayleigh Mannering who attempted 25 for Manhattan Christian November 27, 2021.  Her 35 points were four shy of tying the record of 39 scored against the Jets by St Edward's Isabel Hernandez January 26, 2019.

 
COMING ATTRACTIONS
The Jets look to punch their ticket to MIAA Madness in the last week of the regular season next week.
 
2022-23 MIAA PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
Week 1:  Lacy Stokes – Missouri Southern
Week 2:  Alayzha Knapp – Central Oklahoma
Week 3:  Connie Clarke – Missouri Western
Week 4:  Katie Wagner – Fort Hays State
Week 5:  Lacy Stokes (2) – Missouri Southern (2)
Week 6:  Brooke Littrell – Central Missouri
Week 7:  Brooke Littrell (2) – Central Missouri (2)
Week 8:  Brooke Littrell (3) – Central Missouri (3)
Week 9:  Brooke Littrell (4) – Central Missouri (4)
Week 10:  Brionna Budgetts – Missouri Western
Week 11:  Katie Wagner (2) – Fort Hays State (2)
Week 12:  Brionna Budgetts (2) – Missouri Western (2)
Week 13:  Tre'Zure Jobe – Emporia State
 
2022 MIAA WOMEN'S BASKETBALL PRESEASON POLLS
Coaches
1.  Missouri Southern (6) – 159 Points
2.  Fort Hays State (3) – 151 Points
3.  Nebraska-Kearney (2) – 144 Points
4.  Missouri Western (3) – 139 Points
5.  Central Missouri – 127 Points
6.  Emporia State – 106 Points
7.  Northwest Missouri – 100 Points
8.  Pittsburg State – 85 Points
9.  Central Oklahoma – 74 Points
10.  Washburn – 62 Points
11.  Rogers State – 50 Points
12.  Northeastern State – 31 Points
13.  Newman – 28 Points
14.  Lincoln – 18 Points
 
Media
1.  Missouri Southern (13) – 249 Points
2.  Fort Hays State (4) – 234 Points
3.  Central Missouri (3) – 218 Points
4.  Nebraska-Kearney – 216 Points
5.  Missouri Western – 211 Points
6.  Northwest Missouri – 164 Points
7.  Emporia State – 145 Points
8.  Pittsburg State – 129 Points
9.  Central Oklahoma – 127 Points
10.  Washburn – 108 Points
11.  Rogers State – 74 Points
12.  Northeastern State – 57 Points
T13.  Newman – 31 Points
T13.  Lincoln – 31 Points