Today's Contest
- This is the Lady Lions last game on the road before their home opener at Hyland Arena Tuesday. This is the season opener for UM-St. Louis. The Tritons beat Saint Louis University 59-52 on Nov. 2 in their lone exhibition game.
- UM-St. Louis senior Alyssa Like transferred from Murray State and cracked the Tritons starting lineup against SLU. Like had 11 points and 12 rebounds. UM-St. Louis senior Devonna Smith, a first-team selection in the GLVC last season, scored 11 points and had a pair of blocks vs. SLU.
- The Tritons beat the Lady Lions 67-62 last season at Hyland Arena. There were nine lead changes and five ties in the contest. Smith had 11 rebounds and three steals for the Tritons.
Julie Hlinak had seven points, three rebounds and a block in the loss. The Tritons took the lead for good with 2:23 left on a jumper by guard/forward Hazaria Washington.
Lindenwood Notes
- It's early, but the Lady Lions are near the top of the MIAA in scoring. Through two games, they are averaging 75 points, which was second as of Wednesday. Everyone's getting involved offensively for head coach
Tony Francis.
- Lindenwood has shot .488 from the field in its first two games. Senior
Marissa Lehnig leads the Lady Lions with 15 points per game. Junior
Julie Hlinak (11 points) and senior
Caroline Bourlioux (10) are the other two Lady Lions scoring in double figures.
- Hlinak played 17 minutes in the season-opening loss to Arkansas-Monticello, but was on the court for a team-high 29 minutes against LeMoyne-Owen. Hlinak didn't commit a foul in the win, and the Lady Lions have been called for 48 personal fouls in their first two games. Junior
Meagan Hittle was called for a technical foul against the Lady Magicians. Lehnig and freshman
Bre Zanders fouled out.
- Sophomore
Dru Haertling is settling in nicely as a starter since transferring from Southeast Missouri State University. The 5-foot-8 guard is shooting .500 (7 of 14) from the field, and she had five assists against the Lady Magicians.
- Francis said the NCAA made it clear officials would call hand checking tighter this season, and that's what he's seen through two games. Francis said the rule was being strengthened to clean up the game and allow more scoring. "We're trying to get points in the transition and attack the rim before the defense sets up," Francis said. "We're more of a system team. We like to pass sharp and set good screens."
- Through two games, the Lady Lions have a rebounding margin of +7 and turnover margin of -2. The Lady Lions outrebounded the Lady Magicians 52-36. UM-St. Louis guard Alyssa Like had 12 rebounds in its exhibition win against Saint Louis University.
- Senior
Cassie Bluemner didn't score in six minutes of action in the opener, but the Lady Lions guard sank a pair of three-point baskets against the Lady Magicians. Bluemner also pulled down a pair of rebounds.
- The deep bench Francis was counting on this season has come through in the first two games. The Lady Lions are outscoring their opponents 63-15 off the bench.
Last Time Out
- Lindenwood broke a 13-game losing streak and won its first game since last season with a 76-44 rout of LeMoyne-Owen College. The Lady Lions hadn't won since beating MIAA rival Central Oklahoma Jan. 12.
- Three Lady Lions scored in double figures, and the team shot 47.5 percent from the field. Junior
Julie Hlinak led the Lady Lions with 15 points, senior
Marissa Lehnig had 14 and freshman
Kassidy Gengenbacher had 12. After nine Lady Lions registered points in the opener against Arkansas-Monticello, 11 scored against the Lady Magicians.
- Gengenbacher played in 28 minutes against the Lady Magicians and was active on both ends of the court. She had four rebounds, four assists and a steal.
- Junior Latrice Sears scored 19 points in the Lady Magicians season opener and had 14 against the Lady Lions.
About Missouri-St. Louis
- UM-St. Louis finished last season 15-12 after losing 60-47 to Missouri S&T in the first round of the Great Lakes Valley Conference Tournament. In Katie Vaughn's first year as UM-St. Louis head coach, the Tritons finished with their best record since 2005-06. The Tritons were ranked seventh in the West Division of the GLVC in the Preseason Coaches Poll. The Tritons finished 10-8 and in fifth in the West last season.
- Nine players return this season for the Tritons, including five of their top six scorers. First-team all-GLVC selection Devonna Smith led the Tritons with 13.5 points and 9.7 rebounds per game last year. Senior forward Hazaria Washington averaged 9.3 points and 7.0 rebounds.
