The Lindenwood women's basketball team lost its final game of the regular season by a 64-56 margin to Missouri Western on Saturday in St. Joseph, Mo.
 
Lindenwood shot 47.4 percent in the game and outrebounded the Griffons 36-31.  The Lady Lions turned the ball over 28 times allowing Missouri Western to generate 31 points at the other end.  Missouri Western outmuscled the Lady Lions 36-22 in the paint while each team knocked down four three-pointers.  Kallie Bildner scored 15 points and grabbed 11 rebounds while Lindsay Medlen dropped 15 points with seven rebounds and five assists.
 
The Lady Lions jumped out to a quick 4-0 lead, but Missouri Western responded with a 7-0 run in the next minute to take a 7-4 lead just three minutes into the game.  The Griffons built an 11-6 lead with three minutes remaining in the opening quarter.  Jerricah Butler helped bring the Lady Lions within a possession after a three-pointer and Missouri Western closed out the quarter with a 15-11 lead.  Lindenwood turned the ball over six times and allowed the Griffons to scores seven points off the miscues.
 
Missouri Western slowly increased its lead and held Lindenwood to just two points in the first 5:27 of the second frame.  Lindenwood went on a 13-0 run in the final 3:23 of the second quarter including a last second three-pointer by Medlen to give the Lady Lions a 28-23 lead at the half.  Bildner scored eight points in the second quarter while Medlen had five points with three rebound and two assists.
 
Lindenwood continued to add to its lead in the second half after a free-throw by Butler put the Lady Lions ahead 31-23 at the 7:20 mark.  Missouri Western cut into the Lindenwood lead with the help of the long-range shot and later tied the game at 34-34 with 2:33 remaining in the third quarter.  The two teams traded buckets, but CeCe Rapp scored the last points of the quarter to give Lindenwood a 38-36 advantage heading into the final quarter of play.
 
Gabby Walker put Lindenwood up 40-36 after a quick layup to start the fourth frame, but Missouri Western fought back to regain the lead and did not look back.  Lindenwood made multiple attempts to claw back including a three-pointer by Medlen at the 4:21 mark to cut the deficit to 53-49.  Medlen brought the Lady Lions within three points just 40 seconds later with another long-ball.  Lindenwood struggled to generate points in the final two minutes and the Griffons held on for the 64-56 victory over the Lady Lions on Saturday.

Head Coach Tony Francis was proud of his team for competing in a tough road game.

"This game didn't come down to a talent difference or a work-ethic difference." Francis continued, "the difference was experience against our youth in an energy-charged environment."  Francis closed, "I'm proud that our kids fought and we will use this to become more savvy."
 
Lindenwood falls to 12-15 on the season and 7-12 in the MIAA while Missouri Western moves to 21-7 on the year and 13-6 in conference play.  The Lady Lions will travel to Kearney, Neb. to take on Nebraska-Kearney on Tuesday at 7 p.m. for the first round of the MIAA Tournament.