Today's Contest
- After finishing a perfect 6-0 on their six-game homestand, the Lady Lions take their 2-0 MIAA record to Kearney, Neb. to face their conference rival. The Lady Lions play the Lopers Friday, before traveling to Topeka, Kan. Sunday to face MIAA rival Washburn. Following Sunday's game, the Lady Lions are off until hosting Pittsburg State on Jan. 4.
- The Lady Lions next win will be the 50th for head coach
Tony Francis. Francis is in his fourth season as their coach and led them to 21 wins in his first year at Lindenwood. Nebraska-Kearney coach Kevin Chaney (32-56) is also in his fourth year as the Lopers coach.
- The Lady Lions lost to the Lopers 89-74 in Kearney in the final game last season. The Lopers scorched the Lady Lions from the field, shooting 62.3 percent overall. The Lopers made 10 of 13 baskets from three-point range.
Julie Hlinak led the Lady Lions with 26 points and seven rebounds. Hlinak finished last season scoring 20 or more points in each of her last three games.
Lindenwood Notes
- What a stunning turnaround the Lady Lions have staged in one season. After finishing 4-22 last season, the Lady Lions came into 2013-14 knowing everything was on the line: MIAA championship, tournament eligibility and full acceptance into the NCAA. Already 2-0 in the MIAA, the Lady Lions can cement their standing in the MIAA with two solid performances Friday and Sunday in Nebraska against Kearney and Kansas against Washburn.
- It's hard to imagine there's a freshman in the MIAA playing as well as
Kassidy Gengenbacher is for the Lady Lions. Lindenwood was 2-2 before coach
Tony Francis inserted Gengenbacher into the starting lineup and is 5-0 since. Against Missouri S&T, Gengenbacher played another complete game with a game-high 22 points. She made all 10 free-throw attempts, had seven rebounds and four assists. Francis said Gengenbacher is mature beyond her years and junior
Morgan Johnson has helped Gengenbacher make the transition from prep star to college contributor.
- While Gengenbacher, Johnson, and seniors
Caroline Bourlioux and
Marissa Lehnig usually lead the Lady Lions in scoring, sophomore
Dru Haertling is busy playing solid defense. But Haertling made 5 of 8 baskets against the Lady Miners and led her team with 14 points. She's second on the team with 10 three-point baskets.
- Ten of the 14 teams in the MIAA have overall winning records. Defending conference champion Emporia State (9-0) remains unbeaten. Emporia State visits Hyland Arena Jan. 6.
- Freshman
Bre Zanders played a season-high 18 minutes against Missouri S&T. Zanders continues to provide muscle under the glass and had six rebounds. Her rebounding average is up to 3.4.
- Inclement weather pushed back the game against the Lady Miners two days, but it didn't have a negative effect on the Lady Lions, who also dealt with finals last week. Keeping them focused and motivated with the holiday break on the horizon is something Francis doesn't think will be difficult.
- Bourlioux is just under an important career plateau. With 13 points against the Lady Miners, Bourlioux's scoring average climbed to 9.9. Bourlioux and senior
Cassie Bluemner both played in their 80th career games with the Lady Lions Monday.
- Much of the Lady Lions success is because they are plus-59 rebounding and plus-12 in turnovers.
Last Time Out
- The Lady Lions (7-2) shot 48.2 percent from the field and led the entire game in Monday's 85-68 win against Missouri S&T. It was a dramatic turnaround from last year's meeting, when the Lady Miners beat the Lady Lions 70- 47. The victory was further proof the progress the Lady Lions have made in their first official year in Division II.
- Guard
Jenny Rocha set a blistering pace at times moving the ball down the court. Rocha tied her season and career high of seven assists. She also set a career high with 13 points. Lindenwood coach
Tony Francis said he liked the pace she set for the offense.
- The Lady Miners trimmed the Lady Lions lead to 20-19 with 7:25 left in the first half, but like they have during the winning streak, the Lady Lions stemmed a comeback attempt with a scoring run of their own. Rocha had a pair of baskets as they rebuilt their lead in the first half.
University of Nebraska-Kearney Notes
- Senior swing player Shelby Zimmerman leads the Lopers in scoring with 14.5 points per game, but hasn't played in the last three games. Zimmerman leads the Lopers in minutes per game (28.7). She also leads the team with 8.8 rebounds per game.
- The Lopers grabbed 52 rebounds in their 71-50 win against MIAA rival Lincoln Dec. 14. The win snapped a four-game losing streak. Junior post Amarah Williams (St. Louis, Mo.) had 13 points, 10 rebounds and six blocks for the Lopers. Williams is second on the Lopers in scoring (11.6) and rebounding (6.2). She's eighth in the MIAA with 1.3 blocks per game.
- During a 4,300-mile road swing that began Dec. 15, the Lopers traveled to Great Falls, Mont., Denver and Sioux Falls, S.D.
