Saturday's Game At A Glance• The Lindenwood men's basketball team ends its regular season on Saturday with a 3:30 p.m. game against Lincoln. The game is important as both teams are looking to improve their seedings for the MIAA Tournament.
• Lindenwood is looking to gain some momentum heading into the postseason. The Lions have lost six straight, including a 59-58 loss to Central Missouri on Wednesday evening. That loss dropped the Lions to 15-12 overall and 11-10 in MIAA play.
• Lincoln won an overtime contest on Wednesday by a final score of 96-91 against Southwest Baptist. The Blue Tigers are now 14-13 overall and 10-11 in conference action.
• Lindenwood continues to lead the MIAA in most defensive categories, including scoring defense, field-goal percentage defense, and rebounding margin. Lincoln is one of the top offenses in the league, though, averaging 78.4 points a game.
• Lindenwood leads the all-time series with Lincoln by an 8-4 margin. Earlier this year, the Lions pulled away in the final 12 minutes for a 78-73 victory over the Blue Tigers in St. Charles, Mo.
Lindenwood Notes• Lindenwood leads the MIAA in scoring defense (65.3), field-goal percentage defense (.407), and blocks (5.00). It is eighth in NCAA Division II in scoring defense, 21st in field-goal percentage defense, and 11th in blocks.
• Lindenwood also ranks in the top-25 nationally for fewest fouls (12th). It is 35th in free-throw percentage and 33rd in rebounding margin.
• The Lions have been involved in a lot of close games this year, with 16 being decided by 10 points or less. Nine of Lindenwood's last ten games have been decided by that margin.
• The first time through the MIAA, which included nine home games, the Lions were 9-4. Lindenwood shot 45.5 percent from the field and held opponents to a 38.0 shooting percentage. When facing MIAA teams the second time, including just two home games, Lindenwood is 2-6. The Lions are shooting 43.4 percent, and opponents are shooting 44.5 percent.
• Lindenwood has outrebounded its opponents in every game this season but three. One of those three, however, was in the first meeting with Lincoln when the Blue Tigers won the rebounding battle, 37-36. The Lions have 15 games this year in which they have collected a +5 margin or higher.
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Cory Arentsen has made 76 three-pointers this season, the third-most in Lindenwood history for a single-season, and the most since Richard Rose in 2010-11. Arentsen's current scoring average of 23.1 would be the second-highest mark in school history for a season, just shy of the school record of 23.3.
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Stanislas Heili has already broken the school's single-season blocking record. He is also moving up the school's rebounding list, as his 213 rebounds this season is currently eighth.
• In the latest NCAA Division II statistics,
Cory Arentsen is 15th in scoring and fifth in free-throw percentage.
Stanislas Heili is 14th in blocked shots.
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Brad Newman made three three-pointers against Central Missouri, a season-high for him. He has made at least one three-pointer in four straight games, his second longest streak of the year.
• The MIAA Tournament begins next Tuesday with seeds five through eight hosting seeds nine through 12. Those four winners, along with the top four seeds, will advance to Kansas City, which starts on March 4 in Munincipal Auditorium. A Lindenwood win on Saturday will guarantee the Lions a home game on Tuesday at 7 p.m.
A Look At Lincoln• Lincoln enters play on Saturday in a four-way tie for seventh place in the MIAA standings. In MIAA action, the Blue Tigers are 8-2 at home, but just 2-9 away from Jefferson City.
• Lincoln leads the MIAA with a +3.33 turnover margin. The Blue Tigers are forcing 14.6 turnovers a game, and they are turning the ball over just 11.3 times a contest.
• The Blue Tigers are also leading the league with 630 three-point attempts this season. Jaylon Smith leads the conference with 3.0 three-pointers a contest, and Anthony Virdure is sixth with 2.6 a game. That pair has combined to score 40.1 points a game this year.
• Richie Lewis leads the conference with 2.4 steals a contest, and he ranks sixth with 4.1 assists a game.
