Complete Game Notes in .pdf format here

Storyline
It is going to be a busy couple of weeks for the Lady Lions basketball team as the 2009-10 season starts to dwindle down. The tough stretch of games will start off in Springfield, Missouri when they take on HAAC leading, Evangel. The Crusaders have the best record in the conference and are coming into the match-up on an eight game winning streak.

It doesn't get any easier from then on as the team will be back on the home court taking on the Benedictine Lady Ravens, who are trying to get back to the top of the conference standings. After the brief home stand the team will once again go on the road to take on NCAA Division II, Illinois-Springfield.

Last Time Out
Last week the Lady Lions went 1-1 in a pair of HAAC home contests.
In the first game of the week, Lindenwood beat the Culver-Stockton Lady Wildcats, 86-56. The Lady Lions jumped out to an early lead and never looked back. Four players scored double digit points led by Gina Ferrer who netted 20. Christina Edwards scored 13, Kelly Albers pitched in with 15 and Abby Schultenhenrich scored 13.

Next up for the team was the second place team in the HAAC, Baker. Lindenwood kept it close for much of the contest but the Wildcats outlasted them, 65-59. Leading the way for the Lady Lions was Kelly Albers who scored 18.

Senior Leadership
Senior Cassie Williams is leading the Lady Lions in several categories. She leads the team in total steals (39), total assists (62), minutes played per game (29.6), blocks (11), and total rebounds (154). She is third on the team in rebounds per game (7.7) and scoring (8.7).

She has also led the team in assists in 10 contests, blocks in eight games and leads the team with eight, 10+ rebound games.

Forcing Turnovers
In Lindenwood's last two home games they have forced 23.5 turnovers which is over six more on average than the Lady Lions have committed. Not only have they forced turnovers, they have turned them into points. The team has averaged 19 points off turnovers in the last two games.

NCAA Opponent
The game against the University of Illinois-Springfield will be the second time this year that the Lady Lions will play against a NCAA squad. Earlier in the season Lindenwood fell to the University of Missouri-St. Louis, 62-60.

Team of Thieves
Lindenwood has recorded 209 steals, good for 10 a game which is the fourth most among HAAC schools. Every player has recorded at least one, seven have double-digits and five have compiled at least 20. The 209 steals is 20 more than their opponents.

Earlier in the season against Tabor, the Lady Lions tallied 19 thefts. The team's season high is 21 against Olivet Nazarene.

Cleaning The Glass
Through 20 games this season the team has corralled the fourth most defensive rebounds pre game (24.75) in the HAAC and average over 14 offensive rebounds a game. The offensive rebound average ranks the squad third in the HAAC and 39th in all of Division I.

Christina Edwards leads the team with over 10 rebounds a game and has compiled the most offensive rebounds with 66. Cassie Williams has recorded 105 defensive rebounds to lead the team.

The Magic Number
When the Lady Lions' defense only surrenders 60 points or less the team is 2-0. The best defensive effort came against Tabor College when the team only allowed 28 points.

Finishing Strong
After averaging under four points a game her first 15 games, senior point guard Gina Ferrer, is finishing off her senior season with a bang. Over the last five games she is averaging 15.25 points and has 19 total three pointers.

Scouting Evangel
Evangel comes into the game as the top team in the HAAC, with an overall record of 16-4 and a conference record of 10-1. The only HAAC loss came in the first game of conference play against Baker.

The Crusaders spread the scoring around well, four separate players average in double-figures led by Kara Blakenship's 15.95. Ashlee Luko is second on the team with 13.75 points a game and is alsosecond on the team with 13.75 points a game. She is also second in the country in three point shooting percentage (49%).

Evangel is coached by Leon Neal who is in his 16th season as the head coach but has been a part of the Crusaders' coaching staff for 23 seasons.

Scouting Benedictine
The Benedictine Lady Ravens come into the rematch with Lindenwood sporting a 13-8 overall record and a 8-4 conference record. The last loss for Benedictine came at the hands of the Lady Lions six games ago.

Leading the way for the squad is Kelsey Wolfe, who is averaging 10.3 points a game. Senior Drew Huff ranks 15th in the whole country with a total of 92 assists and also scores seven points a game.

Chad Folsom is in his ninth season as the head coach of the Lady Ravens and has compiled a record of 190-94.

Scouting Illinois-Springfield
The University of Illinois-Springfield is a NCAA Division II and compete in the Great Lakes Valley Conference. The Prairie Stars come in to the match-up with a record of 2-19 and are 0-13 in the GLVC. This season they are 1-2 against NAIA schools and have lost their last 17 games.

Illinois-Springfield is led by Paulin Pogorzelski who is averaging over 13 points a game and 7.5 rebounds. Sophomore Alex Blair pitches in with just over 10 points a night.

The Prairie Stars are led by Marne Fauser who is in her first year at the helm. Fauser comes to Illinois-Springfield after stints as an assistant coach at Drury and Truman State.

Last Time
Earlier in the season Lindenwood fell to the Evangel Crusaders at home 79-64. A late 15-0 run to end the first half all but buried the Lady Lions. Abby Schultenhenrich led the way with 15 points.

Just two weeks ago Lindenwood traveled to Benedictine and left Atchison, Kansas with a 71-68 win. Lindenwood went to the half with a 12 point lead and would eventually extend that lead to 17 during the second half. The Lady Ravens would battle all the way back to tie the game at 68 with just over 20 seconds to play. But Cassie Williams scored to give Lindenwood the lead for good. Gina Ferrer led the team in scoring with a career high 22 points.

Up Next
After a short road trip to Springfield, Illinois the team will return to the Hyland Performance Arena for a match-up against the Missouri Valley Vikings. The team will end the next week with a trip to Lamoni, Iowa to take on Graceland.