complete postseason guide in .pdf format
Storyline
In its final season in the NAIA, Lindenwood will compete for the first time in the organization's most prestigious championship, the Division I Men's Basketball Tournament.
The championship is the longest-running collegiate national championship of any sport in the country. The tournament was started in 1937 by, among others, Dr. James Naismith, the founder of the game of basketball. This year's tournament will be played at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Mo., the same place as that first tournament in 1937.
Lindenwood is having its top season in school history, recording a school record 28 wins. The Lions won a share of the Heart of America Athletic Conference and were runner-up in the conference tournament.
In the first round of the tournament, Lindenwood will face St. Catharine. That game will take place on Wednesday at 4:30 p.m. Like the Lions, the Patriots are in the tournament for the first time.
Season Review
Lindenwood, a preseason No. 14 team, opened the 2011 season by hosting two top-ten teams at the Texas Roadhouse Classic. The Lions defeated McKendree, but fell to Southern Nazarene in a pair of close games.
The Lions next went on a school record 16-game winning streak. Included in that was a 79-72 win at Robert Morris, the number one team in the NAIA. Lindenwood was ranked No. 4 in the nation after that victory, which was Robert Morris' only loss heading into the national tournament.
That winning streak included an 8-0 start in conference play. The Lions went 9-3 the rest of the way in the HAAC and tied for first in the conference.
In the conference tournament, Lindenwood advanced to the championship game for the second straight year. The Lions fell in the final minute of that contest to Evangel.
Lindenwood enters the national tournament with a 28-5 overall record.
All-Conference
Three Lindenwood players were named to the 2011 all-conference teams. Kramer Soderberg was a first-team selection, and was also named the HAAC Newcomer of the Year. Richard Rose was a second-team pick, and Alex Bazzell earned third-team honors.
Vs. Ranked Teams
Lindenwood is 3-3 this season against teams ranked in the final national poll. In non-conference games, the Lions defeated McKendree and Robert Morris, and lost to Southern Nazarene. Lindenwood went 1-2 against conference foe Evangel.
Defense Wins Games
Lindenwood is 17-0 this season when holding opponents under 69 points, and 17-1 when holding the other team under 42.5 percent shooting from the field.
Since Brad Soderberg came to the Lions last season, the program is 25-1 when holding opposing teams under 60 points and 38-8 when holding opponents under 70 points. Lindenwood is 26-1 when opponents shoot under 40 percent, and 42-7 when opponents shoot under 45 percent.
Defense vs. Tourny Teams
In nine games against tournament teams, the Lions held six under their season average. In the team's four victories against tournament teams, three of the opponents were held below their average.
In the win over Robert Morris, Lindenwood held the Eagles to nearly 19 points below their season average. The Lions limited Robert Morris to just 37.1 percent shooting in that game.
Three-Point Shooting
Lindenwood is one of the top three-point shooting teams in the NAIA. The Lions rank second in the NAIA by making 40.4 percent of its long-range shots, and they are 14th with eight three-pointers made a game.
The Lions have made double-figure three-pointers in 12 games, and are 11-1 in those contests.
Lindenwood's top three-point shooter is Richard Rose. Rose currently leads the NAIA in three-point percentage (.509) and is 18th in three-pointers made per game (2.7). In the HAAC Tournament, he averaged four three-pointers a game.
Kramer Soderberg has made 48 three-pointers and Michael Boos has connected on 45. Both players are shooting over 40 percent.
Alex Bazzell, Brandon Kunkel, and Alfred Nelson are other threats from beyond the arc.
Free Throw Shooting
Lindenwood is the top free-throw shooting squad in the national tournament, making 74.3 percent of its attempts.
Three players, Kramer Soderberg, Alex Bazzell, and Richard Rose all make over 80 percent of their attempts. Soderberg leads the team with an 87.1 percentage.
Lindenwood is averaging 24.4 attempts a game, compared to just 15.0 attempts for its opponents. Only four times this season has Lindenwood shot less free throws than its opponent, and the team is 1-3 in those games.
Field Goal Shooting
Lindenwood is 19th in the NAIA in field-goal shooting. The team is 22-0 when shooting over 45 percent.
Protecting the Ball
Lindenwood ranks fourth in the NAIA in fewest turnovers per game. The Lions are turning the ball over just 12.1 times a game. Lindenwood has only turned the ball over more than 15 times in four games this season, and has not done it since after Christmas.
Brandon Kunkel has been the top player taking care of the ball, having just seven turnovers in 365 minutes, or one turnover every 52.1 minutes.
In all, the five guards in Lindenwood's regular rotation are combining to turn the ball over just 6.1 times a game.
Hitting the Boards
Lindenwood has a +1.5 rebounding margin for the 2010-11 season. It has won or tied the rebounding battle in 19 games, and the Lions are 19-0 in those games.
The Lions have had trouble rebounding against NAIA Tournament teams though. Lindenwood was outrebounded in eight of those nine games.
Brett Thompson and David King are the team's leading rebounders. Thompson has a team-high 6.2 rebounds a game, while King pulls down 5.3 boards a contest. Both players have led the team in rebounds for 13 games.
Setting Up Teammates
Two Lindenwood players have dished out over 100 assists this season. Kramer Soderberg leads with 4.4 assists a game, and Alex Bazzell averages 3.3.
Blocks and Steals
Alfred Nelson and Brett Thompson are the top shot-blockers on the team. Nelson has blocked 30 shots, and Thompson has swatted away 27.
Two Lindenwood players average over one steal a game. Richard Rose leads the team with 43 steals, and Kramer Soderberg has 34.
Back in the NAIA Tourn.
Lindenwood head coach Brad Soderberg played in two NAIA Division I Tournaments, and was a student assistant coach during a third tournament. All three came while he was at Wisconsin-Stevens Point. In 1984, he and NBA star Terry Porter led the Pointers to the championship game, and Soderberg received the Charles Stevenson Hustle Aware.
Familiar Feel
Alex Bazzell has experience playing in Municipal Auditorium. As a member of Missouri-Kansas City last season, he played in eight home games in the building.
Past Tourn. Appearances
Lindenwood is making their first appearance at the NAIA Division I tournament. The Lions, though, did make two appearances in the NAIA Division II tournament and went 4-2. In 2000, the Lions advanced to the second round. In 2006, Lindenwood made it to the semifinals.
About The Pioneers
St. Catharine enters the national tournament with a 22-8 overall record, and it finished second in the Mid-South Conference with a 14-4 mark.
The Pioneers started the season by winning 11 of their first 13 games. Their lone bad stretch started after that, where they lost four of seven games. St. Catharine righted the ship by winning six of its final seven regular season games and finishing second in the conference tournament.
St. Catharine is 13th in the NAIA with 82.7 points a game. It is shooting 45.3 percent from the field, 31.4 percent from three-point range, and 66.5 percent from the free-throw line.
Defensively, the Pioneers are allowing 76.0 points a game. They are second in the NAIA by forcing 20.2 turnovers a game, 16th in steals, and 24th in three-point field goal percentage defense.
Five players average double-figure points for St. Catharine. Kashiff Carr leads the team with 21.5 points a game. He is shooting over 40 percent and is second on the team with 22 three-pointers and 97 made free throws. Ervin William averages 13.4 points and shoots over 60 percent from the field. Antoine Watson (12.2), Xavier Kelling (11.3), and Brandon Johnson (10.9) round out the group. Johnson leads the team with 62 threes.
Williams leads the team with 8.3 rebounds a game. He helps the Pioneers have a +4.7 rebounding margin. Other team leaders are Josh Edwards with 52 assists, Williams with 32 blocks, and Watson with 44 steals.
Head Coach JT Burton
JT Burton is in his third season as the head coach of the Pioneers. In his second year, he led St. Catharine to a 16-win increase, and this season the team has improved its win column again.
Burton played at St. Catharine when it was a junior college and helped the program to its only appearance in the National Junior College Tournament in 1997. He later played at Tennessee Wesleyan.
Burton has been at St. Catharine this latest time since 2007, which includes one season as an assistant coach. Other stops include Marshalltown CC and Washington County High School.
First NAIA Appearance
Like Lindenwood, St. Catharine is appearing in the NAIA Division I Tournament for the first time. This season is just the third season that the Pioneers have been in the NAIA.
Lindenwood and St. Catharine are the only two newcomers in this year's field.
Vs. Tournament Teams
St. Catharine has played 12 games against tournament teams. It has gone 6-6 in those contest.
Against conference foes, St. Catharine is 0-4 against Georgetown, and 3-0 versus Pikeville. Versus non-conference opponents, the Pioneers defeated McKendree, and went 1-1 against both Mountain State and Life.
Key Statistics
Two key statistics to watch in the first round game are turnovers and three-point shooting. Lindenwood is in the top five nationally in fewest turnovers, while St. Catharine is in the top five in forcing turnovers. Lindenwood is also in the top five in three-point percentage, while St. Catharine is in the top 25 in three-point field goal percentage defense.
Conference Matchup
Since the HAAC went to the Division I level in 2008-09, there has been only one matchup at the national tournament between HAAC and Mid-South schools. In 2009, HAAC's Central Methodist upset fourth-ranked Georgetown by a 73-64 score in a first-round contest.
