Game #3
Lindenwood (0-2, 0-0 OVC)
vs. Hannibal-LaGrange (2-2, 0-0 AMC)
Match Information:
Date: Monday, Nov. 13, 2023
Location: St. Charles, Mo.
Venue: Hyland Arena
Tip-Off: 7:00 p.m. CT
All-Time Series: 5-0, Lindenwood
Last Meeting: W, 85-58 (11/10/22)
Live Stats: Stats
Live Video: ESPN+
Lindenwood Game Notes: Notes

Matchup
The Lindenwood men's basketball team (0-2, 0-0 OVC) will start their 2023-24 home schedule as they host the Trojans of Hannibal-LaGrange on Monday, Nov. 13 at 7:00 p.m. CT. It marks the first of five home non-conference games for the Lions this season.

The Lions played two tough opponents to start the season losing at Nebraska and Iowa State. They were one of just four Ohio Valley Conference teams to start their season off with two power five matchups. LU lost their last game at Iowa State by a final score of 47-102.

Hannibal-LaGrange is one of three non-Division I schools the Lions will host this season. The Trojans are in the American Midwest Conference and currently have a 2-2 record, winning their last two games including a victory over Culver-Stockton College 63-58.

To begin the season, the Lions were picked to finish 10th in the Ohio Valley Conference as they begin their second Division I season in program history under head coach Kyle Gerdeman.

Player to Watch
Keenon Cole was the leading scorer for the Lions over the last two games including his seventh career game with 20+ points after dropping 20 on Iowa State on Thursday. Cole entered the season a preseason All-OVC selection and was second team all-conference last season.

He is averaging 17.0 per game to lead the Lions and ranks fourth in the OVC after week one. He ranks eight in the OVC in field-goal percentage among qualified players (.357) and is fifth in free throw percentage after hitting 12 of 13 last week including 8-8 against Iowa State.

OVC Preseason Rankings
In a vote of Ohio Valley Conference head men's basketball coaches and communication directors, Morehead State has been picked the preseason favorites for the 2023-24 season. It marks the second-straight year the Eagles have been tabbed the favorites.
 
The Eagles picked up 20 of 22 first-place votes (teams could not vote for themselves); Tennessee State picked up the other votes.  MSU tallied 200 points and was followed by SIUE (162), who was picked second. Tennessee State (153) was picked third and followed by UT Martin (149), Southeast Missouri (124), Tennessee Tech (120), Little Rock (85), Western Illinois (80), Southern Indiana (63), Lindenwood (40) and Eastern Illinois (34).

Scouting Hannibal-LaGrange
The Trojans are currently 2-2 this season under 18 year head coach Jason Durst. Last season, Durst led Hannibal-LaGrange to a 8-17 record overall and a 3-13 AMC record. Their two wins this season came against Central Christian College of the Bible and Culver-Stockton College.

Janssen Flotow is their current leading scorer through four games averaging 15.5 points per game. He currently is shooting 37.7 from the field. Khalib Becton is also averaging 12.7 points per game for the Trojans and is shooting a team high 51.2 from the field.

Head Coach: Kyle Gerdeman
Kyle Gerdeman enters his fifth year at the helm of the Lindenwood men's basketball program in the 2023-24 season. The Lions concluded their inaugural Division I season in 2022-23 where Gerdeman led the Lions to an appearances in the OVC Tournament after a wild finish to the season.

The Lions took down in-state rival Southeast Missouri State in double-overtime to keep their postseason hopes alive.  In the final game of the regular season, Lindenwood needed a win to move on, and Kevin Caldwell Jr. answered the call with a game-winning bucket in overtime.

Lindenwood led the OVC in free-throw percentage (75.6), and was second in the OVC in three-point percentage (39.1).  Chris Childs held the top spot in the league with a free-throw percentage of 92.7, while Keenon Cole was atop the OVC with a three-point percentage of 51.0 percent.  The Lions clawed their way to three overtime wins on the season.  Lindenwood also posted two comeback victories from 20 points down, and another 17-point comeback during OVC play.

Up Next
The Lions will participate in their only non-conference tournament of the season as they fly to Air Force to participate in the Air Force Classic. In this four day tournament, Lindenwood will take on Air Force, Omaha and William & Mary. For more information go to lindenwoodlions.com.