WICHITA, Kan. – The Rogers State women's basketball team made a furious second-half rally but could pull out a win in its road finale at Newman falling, 55-41, at the Fugate Gymnasium.
 
The Hillcats turned a 16-point deficit down to a one possession game with less than five minutes to play in the second half but shot just 25 percent for the contest as the Jets claimed the home win grabbing 17 offensive rebounds.
 
Newman scored the first five points and never relinquished the lead the rest of the afternoon as RSU finally got on the scoreboard with a Breanna Burford three-pointer and Jackie Bueno tied the score, 5-5, with a jumper three minutes into the game. Back-to-back triples by the Jets rebuilt the margin stretching their lead to 18-9 and took an eight-point advantage into halftime in front 31-22.
 
After Newman pushed its lead to 16 points early in the second frame, the Hillcats used a 9-2 run closing the gap to single digits, 40-31, as Jade Hardy found Bueno for another jumper. The Jets got a bucket moving back ahead by double figures but RSU continued to chip away going on another 8-0 stretch started by a Kami Bunch three-point play getting within three, 42-39.
 
The Hillcats had a chance to tie but Stacia Payne's three-point attempt would not drop and Newman scored the next eight points on its way to a home win, 55-41, snapping a four-game losing streak.
 
Mikaila Newton led the RSU offense with 14 points while Burford tallied her first double-double of the season with 10 points and a career-best 12 rebounds.
 
Brianna Caldwell led all scorers with 21 points off the bench for the Jets hitting five from long range as the Newman bench outscored the Hillcats 30-2. Mali Wright joined her in double digits with 14 points and Kesha Buckner pulled down 13 rebounds.
 
RSU (8-17, 6-11 HC) closes the 2014-15 season at home for Senior Day at the Claremore Expo hosting UA Fort Smith Feb. 28. Tip-off is scheduled for 1 p.m. and can be caught live on the Hillcat Network at www.rsuhillcats.com/live and on the airwaves on RSU Radio 91.3FM.