CLAREMORE, Okla. – Rogers State men's basketball (16-10, 13-7 MIAA) used a strong half performance to dispatch Newman (8-18, 4-16 MIAA) and claim a 67-63 win on Senior Day Saturday.
 
With the victory, the Hillcats extended their win streak over the Jets to 11 games. They have also won five-straight inside the Claremore Expo Center in the series, dating back to Jan. 10, 2019.
 
RSU looked out of sorts to start the game as Newman opened on a 9-2 run. They eventually pushed out to a 20-8 lead with just under nine minutes left in the half. The Hillcats began to show signs of life as they put together a 9-0 run to cut the deficit to three points at 20-17 with six and a half minutes remaining. However, the Jets cooled their momentum with a 6-0 run of their own to go back up 26-17. Newman closed out the period on a 13-4 run to carry a 42-28 lead into the break.
 
The Hillcats found a spark during halftime and came out of the locker room on fire as they started the second half on a 19-4 run, taking their first lead of the game at 48-46 with just under 11 minutes left. From there things grew tight for the next several possessions with four lead changes and two ties. Luckily, RSU came out top and went on a 7-0 run to go back up 59-54. Newman tried to mount a comeback late in the game as they tied things at 63-63 with 50 seconds left, however the Hillcats responded by finishing out the game with four-straight points to seal the 67-63 win.
 
RSU will close out the regular season on the road beginning on Thursday, Feb. 29 as they travel to Warrensburg, Mo. to face off against Central Missouri. Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m.