Today's Contest
- The Lady Lions play their third game in six days in Hays, Kan. against Fort Hays State. The Lady Lions dropped a pair of games at Hyland Arena Saturday and Monday and are searching for their first win in 2014. The Tigers are 1-1 in 2014 and are coming off Monday's 93-66 conference win over Southwest Baptist.
- This is the fourth straight game the Lady Lions will face a top 10 scorer in the MIAA. Fort Hays State center Kate Lehman is seventh in the conference with 16.2 points per game. The 6-foot-4 junior leads the MIAA in rebounding average (12.0) and blocked shots (5.3). Last season, she was an All-MIAA first-team selection and conference Defensive Player of the Year.
- The Tigers beat the Lady Lions 75-63 last season in St. Charles. Lehman scored 17 points, snagged seven rebounds and blocked eight shots.
Marissa Lehnig (11 points) and
Meagan Hittle (10) scored in double figures for the Lady Lions.
Lindenwood Notes
- The Lady Lions played the third ranked team in the country to a draw through 28 minutes of Monday's MIAA game against Emporia State at Hyland Arena. The Lady Hornets buzzed all around the Lady Lions goal to build an early 8-0 lead, but the Lady Lions fought back. The Lady Lions didn't make their first field goal until 13:09 remained in the first half.
- Seniors
Marissa Lehnig and
Caroline Bourlioux are making the most of their last seasons with the Lady Lions. Lehnig assisted on Bourlioux's tying basket with 11:59 left in the game. Bourlioux was fouled on the play and sank the free throw to tie the game 46-46. Bourlioux finished with a team-high 17 points and four assists. Lehnig had 11 points, three assists, two steals and a block.
- Thursday's game against Fort Hays State is the 90th in Lehnig's career. Going into the game, she has career marks of 200 free throws, 300 rebounds and 825 points. In her first 13 games this season, Lehnig has scored 173 points. She has 13 games left to score 175 and reach 1,000 career points.
- CORRECTION: Bourlioux has scored 850 career points, an average of 10.1 per game. In the last issue of game notes, Bourlioux's career points should have been 833. The native of Belgium has started 82 of 84 games in her career. Like Lehnig, Bourlioux has a chance at reaching 1,000 career points if she continues her scoring pace.
- The teams in the MIAA the Lady Lions have already played – Emporia State, Pittsburg State, Washburn, Nebraska-Kearney, Central Oklahoma and Northeastern State – have a combined record of 48-26 (.649).
- The Lady Lions cracked 1,000 points this season in the first half against Emporia State. They've allowed 908.
- Against Emporia State, sophomore
Jenny Rocha was the first Lady Lion to play in all 40 minutes of a game this season. Rocha, 5-foot- 4, drove hard to the basket on several attempts to break through the Lady Hornets forwards, Kionna Kellog (6-1) and Merissa Quick (6-3). Lindenwood coach
Tony Francis encouraged his team to attack the basket despite the Lady Hornets size advantage.
- Junior guard
Julie Hlinak has scored eight points in the last five games, and she's been shut out in three of the last four. Hlinak averaged 12.8 points in 26 games last season. She's averaging 5.2 this year. Hlinak hasn't missed a game in her three-year career.
- Through the season's halfway mark, the Lady Lions have a healthy rebounding edge (499-461), have turned the ball over fewer times (208-223), and have more steals (114-106). Opponents have twice as many blocks (50-25).
Last Time Out
- Emporia State improved to 14-0 overall and 5-0 in the MIAA with an 81-66 win over the Lady Lions at Hyland Arena. After winning their first six games of the season at home, the Lady Lions (8-5, 3-3) lost their second straight.
- Guard
Jenny Rocha's drives to the basket helped her get to the free-throw line nine times. Rocha made six free throws and finished with 14 points. It's the fifth straight game she's scored in double figures.
- Also scoring in double figures for the Lady Lions were
Caroline Bourlioux (17),
Kassidy Gengenbacher (11) and
Marissa Lehnig (11). Four Lady Hornets scored in double figures and Kionna Kellog (15 points, 10 rebounds) and Merissa Quick (12 points, 11 rebounds) each had double-doubles.
- The Lady Lions shot .393 against the Lady Hornets. It's only the third time this season the Lady Lions have shot less than .400. The Lady Lions lead the MIAA in shooting percentage (.465).
About Fort Hays State
- Fort Hays State received 12 votes in the Women's Basketball Coaches Association Top 25 poll on Jan. 7. Emporia State (third), Central Missouri (sixth) and Missouri Southern (Also Receiving Votes) are the other MIAA teams ranked in the current poll.
- Tony Hobson won his 500th career game Dec. 7 against Missouri Western. Hobson is the first coach in any sport in school history to record 500 victories. He ranks in the top 10 in NCAA Division II in win percentage. Hobson guided the Tigers to a 22-7 record last season, their best during his tenure.
- Junior Kate Lehman (16.2), senior Katelyn Edwards (13.7) and sophomore Chelsea Mason (13.5) are the three Tigers averaging 10 or more points per game. Mason leads the Tigers with 19 three-point baskets. Edwards leads them with 22 steals. Lehman leads the MIAA with 5.3 blocks per game, three per game better than the next player.
