Thursday's Game At A Glance
- The Lindenwood men's basketball team begins its conference schedule this Thursday evening. The MIAA opener for the Lions will be on the road at 7:30 p.m. against Pittsburg State.
 
- Lindenwood finished the first part of its non-conference schedule with a 6-1 overall record. The Lions enter conference play on a four-game winning streak, including an 81-56 victory over Ecclesia last Saturday.
 
- Pittsburg State is 5-4 on the season, and 0-2 in MIAA play. The Gorillas have lost three straight, including a 77-74 setback at Fort Hays State last Saturday.
 
- The matchup will feature one of the top defenses in the MIAA versus one of the top offenses. Lindenwood enters the game ranked 14th in NCAA Division II by allowing just 63.4 points a game. Pittsburg State is 27th nationally by putting up 87.7 points a contest.
 
- Lindenwood leads the all-time series by a 5-4 margin, including a 4-2 record in regular season MIAA games. The Lions are 3-1 all-time against the Gorillas in games played in Pittsburg, Kan. Lindenwood has won three straight in the series, and has won on the road against Pittsburg State in each of the last three seasons.
 
Lindenwood Notes
- Lindenwood enters conference play as the NCAA Division II leader in fewest turnovers per game. The Lions are allowing just 8.3 turnovers a contest. Only two teams among all levels of NCAA basketball have fewer turnovers a game.
 
- The Lions are also among national leaders in turnover margin and assist-to-turnover ratio. Its +7.3 turnover margin is fourth in NCAA Division II, and its 1.69 assist-to-turnover ratio is eighth nationally.
 
- Lindenwood ranks 14th in the nation by allowing just 63.4 points a game. The Lions have only allowed over 66 points in a game once this season. Over the last four games, Lindenwood is allowing 60.3 points a contest.
 
- The Lions rank second in the MIAA in steals with 8.4 a contest. They have averaged 12.0 steals in the last three games, and are forcing over 20 turnovers a game in that span.
 
- Lindenwood is going to the free-throw line 21.4 times a game this season, while holding opponents to just 9.6 trips to the charity stripe.
 
- The Lions are averaging 8.0 three-pointers a game on the season. They have made seven or more three-pointers in every victory this season.

- Chandler Diekvoss, a second-team all-MIAA selection last season, leads the team with 18.0 points and 7.6 rebounds a game. He has led the team in scoring in four contests, and has paced the squad in rebounds in six games.
 
- Diekvoss ranks seventh in the MIAA in scoring, and fifth in rebounding. He is in the top-15 in field-goal percentage, free-throw percentage, and steals.
 
- Two Lindenwood players rank in the top-five in the conference in assist-to-turnover ratio. Jackson Price leads the MIAA, and is fifth in the nation with a 6.0 mark. Adam Pohlman is fifth in the conference with a 2.78 mark.
 
- Brad Newman has scored in double figues in every game this season but one. Newman has made 14 consecutive free throws, and is shooting over 90 percent from the free-throw line this year.
 
- TJ Crockett, who has started two straight games, is the leading newcomer in points with 9.7 a game. He leads the team with 13 three-pointers.
 
- Max Meylor is shooting 66.7 percent from the field, including 80 percent from inside the arc. 
 
- Lindenwood stays on the road after the Pittsburg State game for a Saturday contest at Missouri Southern. That game will tip off at 3:30 p.m.
 
A Look At The Gorillas
- Pittsburg State has won five non-conference games this year, helping the team reach last year's overall win total just six games into the season. It has lost three straight since then, including MIAA games against Nebraska-Kearney and Fort Hays State.
 
- The Gorillas lead NCAA Division II in both free throws attempted (283) and free throws made (204). Over 26 percent of the team's points have come at the free-throw line.
 
- Xavier Adams leads the team with 18.7 points and 6.8 rebounds a game. He is the conference leader with 57 made free throws and 75 attempted free throws.
 
- Donovan Franklin is second on the team with 16.4 points a game. He has made a team-high 14 three-pointers. Grant Lozoya and Demetrius Levarity also average double-figure points.