Today's Game

• The Lindenwood Lions will be back home on Saturday afternoon to take on MIAA foe, Pittsburg State. The Lions are looking to get back on the winning track after losing their last three games.

• Lindenwood is coming off a 82-64 loss to the Washburn Ichabods. The loss dropped the Lions to 6-8 on the season and 1-3 in the MIAA.
 
• Pittsburg State enters the game with a record of 4-4 on the season and 0-1 in MIAA play. The Gorillas won their last game against West Texas A&M. Pittsburg State is a perfect 0-4 on the road.
 
• The Lions and the Gorillas have met two times. Pittsburg State holds a 2-0 advantage.

Lindenwood Notes

• Darris Smith is the team's lone returning starter and has started off the season very well. In 14 games, he has averaged over 34 minutes a game and has just 19 turnovers compared to 46 assists. Twice this season the junior has played in all 40 minutes.

• The Lions have done a good job spreading the scoring around in the early season. Lindenwood has three guys that average over 10 points a game and three more that average over seven.

• Three-point shooting has been a strength in the early season. The Lions have made at least seven threes in every game but four. Three times this season, Lindenwood made a season-high 10 threes in a game. When the Lions attempt more threes than their opponents the team is 3-2 and are 5-2 when its makes more threes.

• With the injury to backup point guard Nick Van Osdale, Tyler Ressel has had to step up and run the point while Smith has taken a rest. Ressel has dished out 39 assists while running the point.   

• The first half has not been kind to the Lions this season. The team is averaging just 37 points in the opening half. But the second half is where the team has scored its points. Lindenwood is averaging 43 points in the final half and has outscored its opponents 601-546.

• Darris Smith and Tyler Ressel have become the Lions go to scorers over the past six games. One of the two have led the team in scoring over that span and the duo is averaging over 38 points.

• The Lions have scored the most points in all the MIAA and its not even close. Lindenwood has scored 60 more points than the closest team.

• Junior Michael Boos started the season in the starting lineup but now has become the Lions best bench player. In seven of his last eight games he has scored in double figures.

• Free throw attempts are up all across the NCAA and that is definitely the case for the Lions. Three times this season Lindenwood's free throw attempts have been in the top 10 of attempts in program history.

• The Lions two starting bigs have been very efficient shooting the ball this season. Garrett Reeg and Sam Mader have started every game this season and have shot at a 55 percent clip.

• In every game but two this season the Lions have shot at least 10 free throws. Five times this season Lindenwood has had games when it took 30 free throws.

• When the Lions offense has been clicking they have been tough to beat. When they score over 80 points the team is 5-2.

• The Lions starting five have been frequent visitors to the charity stripe this season. The five starters have taken 282 free throws and are shooting 81 percent from the stripe.

• Tyler Ressel had his best game of his career and one of the best in program history. Against Missouri S&T, his 41 points scored was the second highest point total in program history. He also broke the school record for free throw attempts with 24 and tied the record for free throws made with 21.

• Unlike last year's team which had six seniors this season's squad has just one. Tyler Ressel is the only senior on the roster.

• The Hyland Arena floor has been very good to the Lions since Brad Soderberg took over. In his first five seasons, Lindenwood is 56-12 at home.
 
• In the loss to Missouri S&T, the Lions 45 free throws attempted was the second most free throws in school history.

Pittsburg State Notes

• The Pittsburg State Gorillas enter today's game with a record of 4-4 overall and 0-1 in MIAA play. The Gorillas won their last time out against West Texas A&M..

• As a team, the Gorillas are averaging 81.0 points a game and are giving up 80.0. Pittsburg State is shooting 51 percent from the field and 38 percent from behind the arc. The Gorillas are also shooting 71 percent from the free-throw line.  

• The Gorillas are led by three players who score in double figures. Devon Branch leads the team with an average of 20.2 points a game. Jake Bullard is second on the team with an average of 16.5 while Sam Pugh pours in 10.6 a game.

• Kevin Muff is the head coach of the Gorillas and is in his 3rd season at Pittsburg State. Muff has a record of 52-41 at Pitt State.