UAFS had four players score in double-figures, including a career-scoring night from freshman guard Matiss Sivins, but the Lions couldn't hold back the late-surging Newman Jets on Thursday night at the Stubblefield Center.

Newman shot 52 percent from the field to rally from a 20-point, second-half deficit and force overtime and then shot a sizzling 67 percent from the field in overtime to edge UAFS 89-83 in the final game of the Heartland Conference home-and-home series.

The Jets (16-6, 7-3) swept the regular-season series against the Lions (9-14, 3-8), who lost 78-63 to the Jets on Jan. 12 at Fugate Gymnasium in Wichita, Kan. UAFS slipped into an eighth-place tie, while the Jets moved into third place.

UAFS shot 54 percent from the field (30 of 56) – it was 5-of-19 shooting from 3-point range – and shot 82 percent from the free-throw line (18 of 22). Senior guard Chris Crawford led the Lions with 17 points, while Sivins had a career-high 15 points, junior guard Tyler Williams 14 and junior guard Seth Hawley 10.

Sivins also grabbed a career-high seven rebounds, but the Lions were still out-rebounded by the Jets by five rebounds (40-35)

Newman, which trailed UAFS by 20 points with 18:23 left in regulation play, shot 40 percent from the field for the game (27 of 68) – it was 7-of-24 shooting from 3-point range – and shot 72 percent from the free-throw line (28 of 39).

Senior guard Ben Ayre led the Jets, who trailed 38-21 at halftime, with 19 points, while senior guard Dametrius Walker had 18, sophomore guard Cameron Goldfinch 14 and sophomore forward DeAndre Johnson 12.

Johnson topped off his double-double with 14 rebounds.

Jets junior forward Marshawn Blackmon scored on a layup with 31 seconds left to tie the game at 73 points, and UAFS had one last shot to win it in regulation, but Crawford's short jumper in the lane was to strong and drew iron as time expired.

Junior forward Matt Morgan scored on a layup off a pass from freshman forward David Ward to begin overtime and give UAFS a brief two-point lead 75-73. Newman answered with a layup by Blackmon with 4:18 left in the extra period and took the lead for good on another layup by Blackmon with 3:58 left to play.

UAFS will return to conference play at 2 p.m. on Saturday when the Lions play the Dallas Baptist Patriot at The Burg Center in Dallas.
 
MEN
HEARTLAND CONFERENCE
NEWMAN 89, UAFS 83 (OT)
Newman          21        52        16        --          89
UAFS              38        35        10        --          83
Newman (16-6, 7-3): Ayre 19, Walker 18, Goldfinch 14, Johnson 12, Davenport 8, Blackmon 8, Troussel 6, DeYoung 4
UAFS (9-14, 3-8): Crawford 17, Sivins 15, Williams 14, Hawley 10, Ward 9, Morgan 7, Parker 7, Ekezie 4