By FHSU SPORTS INFORMATION
WICHITA, Kan. – In a game that saw 18 lead changes and eight ties, Newman used a pair of free throws with 4.5 seconds remaining to edge Fort Hays State 76-75 on Tuesday night (Nov. 20). The Jets improved to 3-2 overall, while the Tigers fell to 2-3.
Fort Hays State held a 34-28 advantage at halftime, but 17 turnovers and Newman winning the battle on the boards 30-26 kept the game close throughout the evening. Foul trouble came into effect late as the Tigers had four players reach at least four fouls. Brady Werth and Kyler Kinnamon both fouled out.
A Jared Vitztum 3-point field goal to open the second half pushed the Tiger lead to nine, but the Jets went on an 11-0 run to take a two-point lead. The game was close throughout the rest of the night. The Tigers tried to shake the Jets with a 5-0 burst just before the 6:00 mark, but Newman rallied back and hit a 3-point field goal at the 3:11 mark to go back up by two points. Aaron Nicholson pushed the Tigers back on top by two with 1:13 remaining on a 3-point field goal, but the Jets countered just a bit later with a Juwan Davenport 3-point field goal to retake the lead by one with 28 seconds remaining.
Fort Hays State held its last lead with 13 seconds remaining on a Werth layup, but Marshawn Blackmon turned into the hero for Newman by hitting a pair of free throws with just over four ticks on the clock. A Nicholson desperation heave from about 35 feet nearly banked in, but the Jets escaped on their home floor.
Marcus Cooper led the Tigers in scoring with 16 points, followed by Nicholson with 14, Kinnamon with 13, and Werth with 11. Vitztum led the Tigers in rebounds with eight, while Kinnamon had a team-high four assists.
Blackmon led the Jets with 19 points. Four others reached double figures in Davenport (14), Demetrius Walker (12), Ben Ayre (11), Cameron Goldfinch (10).
The Tigers return to Hays to begin at six-game home stand on Saturday (Nov. 24) when they host Sterling College at 5 pm