ST. JOSEPH, Mo. — Mere seconds after Ethan Kilgore's game-tying layup, Griffon Men's Basketball fell to Newman on a go-ahead teardrop bucket by Steve Strong on Wednesday night at the MWSU Fieldhouse.

The Jets (9-18, 5-16 MIAA) handed Missouri Western (11-15, 7-13 MIAA) its third-straight loss with a couple of free throws in the closing seconds to take the game, 70-66.  Missouri Western erased a nine-point deficit early on in the first half and held multiple advantages in a game that saw four lead changes and six ties, with JaRon Thames leading the Griffons with 20 points. However, Newman's 23-of-28 showing from the free-throw line sealed MWSU's fate, with Strong making 11-of-15 attempts from the charity stripe to help give him a game-high 23 points. 

The Griffons were down by seven with two minutes to play when a Taye Fields bucket led to a Reed Kemp steal, paving the way for Thames' final field goal of the night to make it a 66-63 Newman lead. A Thames 1-of-2 showing from the free-throw line led to a rebound by Fields, who dished to Kilgore for what seemed to be the shot in the arm the Griffons needed. After the Strong layup, the Griffs turned the ball over and fouled the Jets, who hit two more free throws to put the game out of reach.

NOTABLES

• Missouri Western out-rebounded Newman, 41-31.
• Fields scored 15 points and slung four assists, notching the 100th assist of his career.
• With seven rebounds, Fields surpassed 200 boards for this season.
• Julius Dixon rounded out the Griffons' double-figure scoring attack with 12 points. 
• Thames passed the 800-point threshold of his Griffon career.
• The Griffons now sit in 10th place in the conference standing, the final spot available for the MIAA Tournament.

UP NEXT
The Griffons take on Nebraska Kearney (5-21, 3-17 MIAA) on Thursday at 6:30 p.m. inside the MWSU Fieldhouse. The Lopers have lost three in a row, falling to Pittsburg State last Saturday, 93-85.