FHSU frustrated Newman all night on the defensive end, holding the Jets to just 23.1 percent (12-of-52) shooting from the field, which included a 5.6 percent effort beyond the 3-point line (1-of-18). The Tigers forced at least 20 turnovers for the fifth straight game as the Jets gave the ball away 25 times. Newman was held to single digits in three of the four quarters as 13 points was its best effort in the third quarter. FHSU held the Jets to just four points in the fourth quarter.
A hot-shooting first quarter put the game out of reach early as the Tigers shot 61.1 percent from the field in the opening frame. Chelsea Mason was on fire, dropping 15 of the team’s 29 points in the first quarter on 6-of-8 shooting from the field. She went on to lead the team in scoring with 25 points on 10-of-17 shooting from the field for the game. She was 5-of-8 beyond the 3-point line.
The Tigers finished the game at 41.5 percent as a team from the field. They hit 11-of-23 3-point field goal attempts (47.8 percent). Behind Mason’s 25, Paige Lunsford had 11 points and Nikola Kacperska had 10. Tatyana Legette crashed the boards with a team-high 10 rebounds.
Kesha Buckner led Newman in scoring with eight points, followed by Shaunice Robinson with seven and Mali Wright with six.
