Box Score After clinching a berth in the MIAA Tournament Wednesday, the Lindenwood women's basketball team took its improbable season another step forward.

It took all 40 minutes for the Lady Lions to beat Lincoln University 63-56 Saturday at Hyland Arena. The win means the Lady Lions, 14-11 overall, 9-9 in the MIAA, will host a conference tournament game March 3.

"I don't think anybody thought that would have been possible at the beginning of the season," Lindenwood coach Tony Francis said. "Maybe the middle of the season we started talking about it. I put pressure on them on purpose. We've gone up and down this second half but for them to put themselves in this position speaks volumes of their character. They play for each other. They dedicate themselves for each other. That's what a good team's got to be."

The Lady Lions are in seventh place in the MIAA. If they beat Missouri Southern Thursday in their final regular-season game, and Fort Hays State loses its last two conference games, the Lady Lions would be the sixth seed in the tournament. The top four teams in the MIAA receive first-round byes. As a sixth seed, the Lady Lions would play the 11th seed.

Lincoln, which fell to 5-20, 2-16, was a thorn in the Lady Lions' paw in both games this season despite being in last place in the conference. The Blue Tigers beat the Lady Lions 67-58 Feb. 6 in Jefferson City and looked determined to pull off another upset. The Lady Lions led 5-4 with 16 minutes 36 seconds left in the first half, but didn't regain the lead until freshman Kassidy Gengenbacher sank a three-point shot with 15:10 left in the game. The game went back and forth from there.

"It's a recurring theme this year," Francis said. "We get a big win, and then we come back the next game and we're really lethargic and don't play with the intensity. They know they haven't arrived. They've got a lot of work to do. It's our job as coaches to remind them. The maturity and leadership and everybody knowing what's at stake the next time you step onto the floor – we're not to that point."

The Lady Lions are 2-0 since senior Marissa Lehnig broke her collarbone diving for a loose ball against Central Missouri Feb. 15. Lehnig is one of three Lady Lions averaging more than 10 points per game. The game she got injured in was the 100th of her career with the Lady Lions.

"Marissa was a senior with experience and a spark plug off the bench," Francis said. "After she got hurt, I told the team, 'great teams will step up and rally around a fallen teammate.' This is just as much Marissa's as it is anybody else. She's still part of this family, and she wants to go on a trip in a couple of weeks and we want to take her."

Her absence means more playing time for senior Cassie Bluemner. Also seeing more time on the court recently is freshman guard Traci Keller. Francis said Keller understands her role and what her limitations are.

Gengenbacher and sophomore guard Jenny Rocha led the Lady Lions with 17 points apiece. Gengenbacher's season scoring average climbed to 15 points per game. Senior Caroline Bourlioux matched her season average with 12 points.

The Lady Lions have been blistering the goal from the field in their past four games but shot just 30.8 percent in the first half. They shot a whopping 59.1 percent in the second half as they charged from behind.

Lincoln leading scorer Jennifer Rosado torched the Lady Lions for 23 points in the first meeting, but she was held to 10 points on 3 of 12 shooting in the rematch. Angela Randall turned in a solid all-around performance for the Blue Tigers with a team-high 15 points, six rebounds and four assists.

One more game separates the Lady Lions and their first journey into NCAA tournament basketball. Francis said if there's one thing he'd like to see his players improve on, it's their confidence.

"There's nothing we can do as far as conditioning," he said. "We have to work on our offensive rhythm and exploit matchups."