Box Score Junior guard Morgan Johnson scored the game's first basket in Monday's non-conference game at Hyland Arena and Lindenwood University led wire-to-wire in an 85-68 win against Missouri University of Science and Technology.

It was the sixth straight win for the Lady Lions who improved to 7-2 and 6-0 at home. The Lady Miners fell to 4-5. It was the final game of a six-game homestand for the Lady Lions who play two MIAA games on the road: Friday in Kearney, Neb.; Sunday in Topeka, Kan.

"I'm going to rely on our leadership," Lindenwood coach Tony Francis said about keeping the win streak alive during the road trip. "They've got this winning taste in their mouth. They know the Christmas break is coming, let's make it a special seven or eight days off. Can we focus on the process to give us a chance at the end of the game to win? If we fulfill that role we can compete with just about anybody right now."

Two conference wins on the road would cement the Lady Lions place among the best teams in the MIAA. Looming large after the break is a home game against conference powerhouse Emporia State University (9-0). Lindenwood and Missouri Southern lead the MIAA with 2-0 records.

Leading the way offensively for the Lady Lions Monday was freshman Kassidy Gengenbacher. The 5-foot-10 guard scored a game-high 22 points and moved into the team scoring lead with 12.8 points per game. Gengenbacher was 5 of 8 from the field, sank a pair of three-point baskets and was 10 of 10 from the free-throw line. She also had a team-high seven rebounds and four assists.

"The great thing is she's a freshman with a lot of learning to do," Francis said. "Morgan has done a really good job before and after practices taking Kassidy under her wing and teaching her the nuances of the college game and Kassidy is soaking it up. Kassidy is mature beyond her years."

Dru Haertling (14 points), Jenny Rocha (13) and Caroline Bourlioux (13) also scored in double figures for the Lady Lions who shot 48.2 percent from the field, outrebounded the Lady Miners 37-30 and had fewer turnovers (13-18). Marissa Lehnig made two three-pointers and finished with nine points. Four Lady Lions – Gengenbacher, Lehnig, Bourlioux and Johnson -- are averaging double-figure scoring.

The Lady Lions took their first 10-point lead against the Lady Miners when Lehnig scored on an assist by Gengenbacher with 3 minutes 37 seconds left in the first half. Gengenbacher sank a three-pointer on their next possession to make the score 37-24. During the six-game winning streak, the Lady Lions have had the lead most of the time.

"At times we'd extend the lead and then we'd push cruise control and let them back in," Francis said. "We were up and down throughout the game. That's part of learning how to win. It's natural with a team that's still learning. We have great leadership and a mature team but it's a process."

Rocha ran the fastbreak as well as she has all season and finished with a team-high seven assists. On back-to-back possessions in the second half, Rocha forced the ball to the top of the key and dished out assists to Haertling on opposite wings.

"Jenny did a real nice job with the pace of our offense tonight," Francis said.