EMPORIA STATE ROLLS BY NEWMAN TO IMPROVE TO 5-1 ON YEAR

January 2, 2021-Ten Hornets scored and all 12 that suited up had at least a point, rebound or assist as Emporia State rolled past Newman 76-42 to improve to 5-1 on the season. It matches the best start to MIAA play for the Hornets in a decade.
 
Emporia State scored the first point of the game and never looked back as they posted their widest margin of victory since 2007.  Leading 3-2, the Hornets went on a 14-0 run to take a 17-2 lead with 11:28 left in the first half.  Four different Hornets scored during the run with Jumah'Ri Turner responsible for half of the points.  Defensively Emporia State held Newman to just one of 13 shooting from the field with five turnovers in the first 8:32 of the game.
 
The Jets would cut the lead to seven at 23-16 with 6:56 left in the half on a pair of Branden Bunn free throws. The Hornets then went on an 11-0 run to push the lead back to 18 points and Ben Smith's three-pointer gave Emporia State a 34-16 lead with 1:41 left in the half.  Bunn would hit a tip in at the buzzer to pull the Jets within 38-23 headed to the locker rooms.
 
Jorge Oliva would score the first points of the second half for Newman before Turner went on a personal 7-0 run for the Hornets to make it 45-25 just 1:45 into the second frame.  The Jets would not get within 17 points the rest of the game.  Duncan Fort drove the baseline for a layup with 9:51 left in the game to ignite another 14-0 run and by the time Dallas Bailey nailed a three-pointer with 5:04 left the Hornets led 70-35.  Emporia State held Newman scoreless for 5:58 during the run and kept the Jets from scoring a field goal for over six and a half minutes.  Nick Reid's three-pointer with 1:13 left gave Emporia State their biggest lead of the game at 76-40 before a pair of Ian Lee free throws with 1:03 left made the final score 76-42.
 
Jumah'Ri Turner led Emporia State with 21 points and added a career high four steals.  The Hornets bench outscored the Jets bench 35-5 on the night. For the game Emporia State held Newman to just 14 of 60 from the field for 23.3% as they missed all 12 three-point attempts in the second half.
 
Emporia State is back in action on Monday, January 4 when they travel to Rogers State.  Tip-off from Claremore, Okla. is set for 7:30 p.m.
 
NOTES:
The Hornets 5-1 start to MIAA play matches their best start in conference action since going 5-1 to open the 2010-11 season.  The best start to MIAA play for Emporia State is 7-0 as part of an overall 16-0 start to the 2006-07 season.
The 34 point margin of victory is the largest for Emporia State in MIAA play since a 105-67 win over Missouri Southern on January 17, 2007.
The 42 points allowed are the fewest Emporia State has given up in a game since a 61-39 victory over Lincoln on January 11, 2012.