Tonight's Game

• The Lindenwood Lions will be home for their second consecutive home game on Monday night when they take on MIAA foe, Emporia State. The Lions are looking for their second straight win.

• Lindenwood is coming off a 90-82 win over the Pittsburg State Gorillas. The win improved the Lions to 7-8 on the season and 2-3 in the MIAA.
 
• Emporia State enters the game with a record of 8-5 on the season and 1-2 in MIAA play. The Hornets won their last game against Lincoln in double overtime.
 
• The Lions and the Hornets have met one time. Emporia State holds a 1-0 advantage.

Lindenwood Notes

• Darris Smith is the team's lone returning starter and has started off the season very well. In 15 games, he has averaged over 34 minutes a game and has just 20 turnovers compared to 48 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 4-1 when its makes more threes.

• Tyler Ressel has had to step up and run the point while Smith has taken a rest. Ressel has dished out 40 assists while running the point.   

• The first half has not been kind to the Lions this season. The team is averaging just 38 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 643-582.

• Darris Smith and Tyler Ressel have become the Lions go to scorers over the past seven games. One of the two have led the team in scoring over that span and the duo is averaging over 39 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 nine 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. Four 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. Six 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 6-2.

• 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 57-12 at home.
 
• In the win against Pittsburg State the Lions 50 free throws attempted was the most free throws in school history.

Emporia Notes

• The Emporia State Hornets enter tonght's game with a record of 9-6 overall and 2-2 in MIAA play. The Hornets won their last time out against Lincoln in double overtime.

• As a team, the Hornets are averaging 78.9 points a game and are giving up 70.5. Emporia State is shooting 47 percent from the field and 37 percent from behind the arc. The Hornets are also shooting 70 percent from the free-throw line.  

• The Hornets are led by two players who score in double figures. Kaleb Wright leads the team with an average of 16.4 points a game. Terrence Moore is second on the team with an average of 14.1.

• Shaun Vandiver is the head coach of the Hornets and is in his 2nd season at Emporia State.