WOMEN'S BASKETBALL PREVIEW: Lions at Pitt State
WHEN: Dec. 7| 5:30 p.m.
WHERE: Pittsburg, Kan. (John Lance Arena)
LIVE STATS: http://http//www.sidearmstats.com/pittstate/wbball/
LIVE VIDEO: http://www.themiaanetwork.com/pittstategorillas/

Lindenwood Notes:
- Kallie Bildner is one of the top performing players in the NCAA this season. The sophomore forward is ranked in the top 10 nationally in rebounds per game (13.0, third), defensive rebounds per game (9.0, sixth) and double-doubles (6, third). 
- Against Southern Arkansas on Nov. 10, Bildner was 16-16 from the free throw line, the best such performance by a Lion in the NCAA era. She is the second Lion to ever record the feat (Jamie Bonney on 1/29/2000). The LWU record for free throws made is 19 by Jamie Bonney on March. 10, 2000.
- Lindenwood's defense is one of the best in the NCAA,  The Lions rank second in NCAA DII in scoring defense with 47.1 points allowed per game, third in field goal percentage defense at 30.5% and first in three-point field goal percentage defense at 18.8%.
- Lindsey Medlen is distributing the ball well for the Lions this season. She is 41st in the NCAA with 38 assists and 24th in assists per game at 5.4. Medlen is on pace for 150+ assists this season, a feat that has not been acheived in the NCAA era for Lindenwood. 
- The Lions have been crashing the boards in non-conference play. Lindenwood leads NCAA DII in rebounding margin at 19.9. The next closest program is Northern State with a 13.1 rebounding margin. The Lions are fifth in total rebounds per game (49.29), 12th in offensive rebounds per game (18.0) and 12 in defensive rebounds per game (32).
- Lindenwood is sixth in NCAA DII with 86.0 points per game. They are on pace to score 2,408 points this season, which would be a program record. 
- In their last game, the Lions defeated Central Christian College of the Bible 113-30, setting program records for points scored in a game and margin of victory. Additionally, Lindenwood had 32 team assists, the second-highest single-game total in program history. 
- Lindenwood was selected seventh in the MIAA Preseason Coaches Poll. The Lions return four starters from last year's team that advanced to the MIAA semifinals, battling then-No. 25 Central Oklahoma to an 84-82 nail-biter. 
-Lindenwood is bringing back 76% of last year's scoring. Leading the returners is MIAA Freshman of the Year Kallie Bildner. Bildner led the 2016-17 Lions with 14.8 points and 9.2 rebounds per game. 
- Head coach Tony Francis enters his eighth season at Lindenwood as the program's only coach in the NCAA era. He has a career record of 96-109. 

Pitt State Notes:
- Pittsburg State enters today's game with a 6-2 record with an 0-2 mark in MIAA games. 
- The Gorillas were ranked No. 19 in last week's poll, but dropped contests to Nebraska-Kearney (95-97) and Fort Hayes State (70-75) to open MIAA action. 
- PSU is led by the duo of Mikaela Burgess (17.8 points per game) and Paige Imhoff (11.3 points per game, 50 assists). Burgess is third among all active NCAA DII student-athletes with 1,530 career points. Imhoff is fifth in the NCAA this season with 50 assists). 

Series Notes
- Last season, the Lions and Gorillas met three times with the Gorillas winning the two regular season games and the Lions eliminating top-seeded PSU from the MIAA Tournament on March 3. 
- Charisse Williams has had success against Pitt State in her career. She has 44 points in four career games against the Gorillas including her career best mark of 16 points nearly a year ago to the date (Dec. 8, 2016).