Today's Contest
- Lindenwood (3-2) plays its second straight game against an NAIA opponent. Robert Morris-Springfield competes in the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference. The two teams did not play last year. Lindenwood seeks its third straight victory at Hyland Arena. The Lady Lions are 3-0 on weekdays and 0-2 on Saturdays.
- Both teams hold a decided advantage in rebounds per game this season. The Lady Lions average 41 rebounds, while allowing 32.4. Senior
Caroline Bourlioux leads the Lady Lions with 6.8 rebounds per game. The Eagles average 43.3 rebounds and are led by senior Cassandra Baker (11.7). Baker is also the Eagles leading scorer with 23.3 points per game.
- Robert Morris has five seniors and five juniors on its roster, while the Lady Lions started freshman
Kassidy Gengenbacher in their last game and have two sophomore starters,
Jenny Rocha and
Dru Haertling.
Lindenwood Notes
- Lindenwood senior
Marissa Lehnig scored at least 20 points for the second straight game in the win over Harris-Stowe. Lehnig's career scoring average improved to 9.0 points per game and she leads the Lady Lions with 17 points per game. That ranks seventh in the MIAA. Lehnig has produced her scoring average coming off the bench. She averages 25.2 minutes per game, fourth on the team.
- "Marissa finds value in what she does," Lindenwood coach
Tony Francis said after Thursday's win. "I like to have points and that spark coming off the bench and that's what she does. She understands that role."
- Lindenwood senior
Caroline Bourlioux is tied for ninth in the MIAA with 1.8 steals per game. Bourlioux turned in one of her best complete games against Harris-Stowe with 14 points, 10 rebounds, five assists, four blocks and five steals. Her assists in the waning minutes of the game helped stretch a three-point lead to a double-digit win. Bourlioux's career scoring average (9.8) continues to creep toward 10 points per game.
- "We didn't play with the mental focus and discipline we needed to, but Caroline did a lot of nice things late," Francis said.
- None of the teams in the MIAA have played in a conference game yet, but preseason No. 1 Emporia State is 6-0 and outscoring its opponents by 23 points per game. Central Missouri (4-0), Missouri Western (4-0) and Fort Hays State (3-0) are the three other undefeated MIAA teams. The Lady Lions (3-2) are tied in the overall standings with Nebraska-Kearney and Washburn.
- Lindenwood has the sixth-ranked scoring offense in the MIAA. The Lady Lions average 74.8 points. Fort Hays State leads the MIAA in scoring with 93.7 points per game and is outscoring its opponents by a league best 47.7 points.
- Despite shooting 35 percent in the second half against Harris-Stowe, the Lady Lions lead the MIAA in field goal percentage (.464). Lehnig (.545), Bourlioux (.509), and
Jenny Rocha (.552) are all making more than 50 percent of their shots. Rocha (16 of 29) hasn't taken a shot from three-point range this season.
- The Lady Lions are averaging 22.6 personal fouls per game. Harris-Stowe trailed most of the game against Lindenwood, but went to the free-throw line seven more times (28-21). Bourlioux and freshman
Bre Zanders lead the Lady Lions with 18 fouls. Zanders has fouled out twice, but not in the last two games -- both wins.
Last Time Out
- Lindenwood shot 54.5 percent from the field in the first half, held off a second-half rally against Harris-Stowe and improved to 3-2 with the 84-73 win. The Lady Lions cooled off a bit from the field in the second half (35 percent) but made 16 of 21 free throws (.762) to help seal the win.
- The Lady Lions pounded the glass for 20 offensive rebounds. For the season, the Lady Lions have outrebounded their opponents 205- 162.
- After using a starting lineup of Hlinak, Bourlioux, Johnson,
Jenny Rocha and
Dru Haertling the first four games of the season, coach
Tony Francis inserted freshman
Kassidy Gengenbacher as a starter, replacing Hlinak. Hlinak was shutout against McKendree the game before and she came off the bench with a strong effort of seven points and 10 rebounds. The Lady Lions bench scored 29 points. Lindenwood junior forward
Katie Brown saw her first action of the season.
Robert Morris-Springfield Notes
- The starting five players for the Eagles will pose a challenge for the Lady Lions because of their size and experience. Senior forward Cassandra Baker (5-foot-10) is averaging 23.3 points and 11.7 rebounds per game. Senior Marquichea Burns (6-0) is from Las Vegas and is second on the Eagles in scoring (15.0). Senior forward Ellie Krone (5-10) and junior guard/forward Stephanie House (5-9) are the other starters with size.
