The Lindenwood women's basketball team defeated Missouri Southern for the first time in school history with an 86-80 win on Saturday afternoon in Hyland Arena in St. Charles, Mo.
 
Lindenwood tore up the paint with 56 points and 41 rebounds that lead to 15 second-chance points.  Kallie Bildner registered another double-double with 24 points and 15 rebounds including three defensive rebounds in the final 30 seconds of the game.  Gabby Walker compiled the majority of her 14 points in the second half and she grabbed five boards.  Lindsay Medlen dished out five assists and scored nine points as the Lady Lions had 15 assists as a team.  Both teams shot over 50 percent from the field while the Lady Lions made just 1-of-12 buckets form behind the three-point line.
 
The Lady Lions opened up the game with a quick layup by Sara Ross to give Lindenwood a spark.  Lindenwood played stout defense by allowing just four points in the first three and a half minutes while Kallie Bildner helped Lindenwood to eight points as she pitched in for two buckets.  With 4:18 on the clock, the Lady Lions built a 10-6 lead with the help of seven rebounds, but compiled three turnovers.  Both teams traded buckets until Missouri Southern forced a tough shot and ran the floor for the basket to make it a 16-14 ballgame.  Charisse Williams hit a jumper at the buzzer to give Lindenwood a 20-16 lead after the first quarter.  Both squads shot over 50 percent from the field and neither team made a shot from outside the arc.
 
Alex Haley controlled the offense in the second quarter as she tallied back-to-back assists and added a jump shot just to put Lindenwood in front 26-21.  Missouri Southern found its stroke from deep by knocking down two three-pointers, but the Lady Lions continued to find points in the paint and held a 31-27 lead with 4:28 to go in the first half.  The visiting Lions pulled within one point, but a smooth mid-range jumper by Bre Zanders put the Lady Lions back up by three points.  Missouri Southern tied the game late in the second quarter and the game would go to break with a 36-36 score.  Lindenwood led the rebounding margin 18-15 and outscored the visiting Lions 22-18 in the paint, but Missouri Southern made two three-pointers while the Lady Lions were shut out from behind the arc.
 
Bildner continued to rack up points in the paint and helped aid the Lady Lions to a 42-37 lead with 6:49 on the clock.  Missouri Southern picked up its defensive play and attacked the paint to take a 43-42 lead less than two minutes later.  The court stayed even as neither team could pull away in the game and at the two-minute mark Missouri Southern knocked down a long three-pointer to tie the game at 50-50.  Williams broke the tie with a tough layup and the free-throw, and Bildner scored the first three-pointer of the game for the Lady Lions to put Lindenwood up 56-52 with just over one minute left in the third quarter.
 
The Lady Lions stepped on the gas right off the bat as Gabby Walker, Bildner, and Williams scored in the first 1:13 of the fourth quarter to put Lindenwood out in front 62-54.  Lindsay Medlen threaded the needle three-consecutive trips down the court to help extend the Lindenwood lead to 68-55 nearing the halfway point of the final frame.  Missouri Southern stayed in the game with the deep ball and the baseline drives, but Lindenwood worked the paint continuously to keep its lead.  The Lady Lions maintained a lead of seven points or more for most of the fourth quarter until the visiting Lions cut it to 76-70 with 2:46 remaining.
 
Missouri Southern did not go away without a fight and battled back to a four-point deficit with 45 seconds to go in the game.  The visiting Lions scored with 23 seconds on the clock, but Medlen hit a free-throw to give the Lady Lions a three-point buffer.  Missouri Southern missed a layup and Bildner snagged her 14th rebound of the game, allowing Medlen to ice the game with two-consecutive free-throws, give Lindenwood an 86-80 victory.
 
Lindenwood improves to 5-3 on the year and 1-1 in the MIAA while Missouri Southern falls to 6-5 on the season and 3-1 in conference play.  Lindenwood will travel to Topeka, Kan. on December 17 to take on Washburn at 5 p.m.