The Lindenwood women's basketball team dropped a close game against No. 5 Pittsburg State on Saturday afternoon by a 78-69 in Pittsburg, Kan.
 
Lindsay Medlen was 4-of-8 from three-point range and made all four of her free-throws to tally 16 points while adding five rebounds and three assists.  Jerricah Butler knocked down two three-pointers and finished with 13 points.  Gabby Walker scored nine of her 11 points in the first half and finished with five rebounds.  Lindenwood shot 47 percent from the field, 30 percent from three-point range, and just 55 percent from the charity stripe.  The Lady Lions held a three rebound advantage in the game, but committed 23 turnovers to just 12 for the Gorillas.
 
The Lady Lions had a tough task at hand with No. 5 Pittsburg State and its three-point shooting ability.  The Gorillas jumped on the board first and took an 8-4 lead after three minutes of play with the help of two three-pointers.  Walker scored five of the first seven points for Lindenwood to put the Lady Lions down by one point.  The Gorillas found success from behind the arc from multiple players and built a 17-7 lead with 2:56 to go in the opening quarter.  Lindenwood fought back to pull within seven points at the end of the quarter as Walker tallied seven points in the first frame.
 
Pittsburg State hit another three-pointer right out of the gate, but the Lady Lions stayed the course and kept the game within reach.  The Gorillas built a 10-point lead until Butler nailed a three-pointer and added a layup with 6:09 remaining in the half to make it a 27-22 ballgame.  Lindenwood was shut down for the next 2:20 as Pittsburg State went on a 10-0 run.  The Lady Lions stopped the run with a timeout and Charisse Williams quickly scored on a layup and the free-throw which opened a flurry of points by both squads.  In the following minute of play, each team tallied four points as the Gorillas held a 41-29 lead with 3:24 to go in the half.  Pittsburg State closed out the half with a 48-33 lead with the help of 5-of-12 shooting from three-point range.  Lindenwood turned the ball over 14 times in the first half which allowed the Gorillas to tallied 13 points on those mistakes.
 
In the opening portion of the second half, Medlen hit a three-pointer to cut into the Pittsburg State lead.  As much of the game went, the Gorillas knocked down a three-pointer of their own to frustrate the Lady Lions moral.  Medlen responded well with another three-ball to put Lindenwood down 51-39 after 2:14 of play in the third quarter.  The standout freshman caught fire as she knocked down her third consecutive three-pointer to make it an 11-point game with 6:35 to go in the third frame.  Medlen was seemingly unconscious as she hit another deep ball to keep the Lady Lions within striking distance.  Lindenwood fought to keep Pittsburg State off the board, but the Gorillas continued to maintain a comfortable 61-49 lead heading into the final quarter of play.
 
Walker attacked the paint to open the final quarter and drew a foul which led to back-to-back free-throw makes.  Williams scored on back-to-back layups to cut the deficit to single digits just two minutes into the fourth quarter.  The Gorillas came out of the timeout and knocked down tow free-throws, but Alex Haley hit a mid-range jumper to keep the Lions within six points.  Lindenwood picked up the defensive play helping the Lady Lions cut into the lead.  Butler made two free-throws to make it a four-point game and make a huge three-pointer at the 5:15 mark to make it a 64-61 game.  Pittsburg State found a much-needed three-pointer to build its lead back to six points.  The Lady Lions could not find the offensive production late in the game and Pittsburg State closed out the game for a 78-69 win over Lindenwood.
 
Head Coach Tony Francis was pleased with the effort his team showed and reflected on the process his team has gone through to make improvements.
 
"The ladies showed great character and competitive spirt today," Francis opened.  "We are a much better team against (Pittsburg State) now, than we were on Dec. 8," explained Francis.  He continued, "As with all young teams, the more we are in pressure situations, the better our decision making will become under duress."  Francis added, "It's nice to hear the opposing fans congratulate our kids and tell them how bright this program's future is."
 
Lindenwood falls to 6-9 on the season and 2-6 in the MIAA while No. 5 Pittsburg State improves to 16-1 on the year and 8-0 in conference play.  The Lady Lions will return to Hyland Arena on Thursday to host Southwest Baptist at 5:30 p.m. in St. Charles, Mo.