WICHITA - The Newman men's basketball team will open its 2011-12 campaign Wednesday evening with an exhibition contest against the Manhattan Christian Crusaders. Tip-time for the contest is slated for 7 p.m. inside Fugate Gymnasium.

Meet the Jets...
Newman returns five players off a 2010-11 squad that finished with an 15-12 overall record, and finished third in the Heartland Conference regular-season standings with an 7-5 mark against Heartland Conference opponents. Newman's  post-season run was cut short when eventual conference champion Texas A&M International knocked the Jets out of the Heartland Conference Championship tournament with a 91-74 semi-final win.

Eric Saunders carried the Jets through much of the 2010-11 season. The junior averaged 9.2 points per game, and shot at a .400 clip from beyond the arc. The Moberly, Mo., native led the Jets offense with 4.0 assists per game and also averaged 3.5 rebounds a game.

Saunders will be joined in the Newman starting line-up by fellow returning starters Kyle Grant  (5.6 ppg, 3.3 rpg) and Mason Felter (4.1 ppg, 3.2 rpg.).

Garden City CC transfer Bobby Wesley will  be given a second chance to bring the ball up the court for the Jets this season. The 5-11 point guard averaged 5.3 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game for the GCCC Broncbusters in the 2009-10 season. Wesley was sidelined with a season-ending injury in the first game of the 2010-11 season.

Scouting Manhattan Christian...
The Crusaders posted 19 wins overall and a 9-2 Midwest Christian College Conference record through the 2010-11 season and claimed a share of the MCCC title for the fifth straight year. MCC returns seven players from the previous season including Kevin Foster, the only senior on the roster. The Crusaders will put a young team on the court this season, carrying nine freshmen and seven sophomores on their roster.

Reversing the Roles...
Newman will host it's first exhibition game since becoming an NCAA Div. II institution Wednesday night at 7 p.m. in Fugate Gymnasium. The Jets' previous exhibition games have all been Div. I opponents, including the likes of Kansas State, Wichita State and North Texas.