Game #13
Lindenwood (5-7, 0-0 OVC)
vs. Rockford (9-3, 3-2 NACC)
Match Information:
Date: Friday, Dec. 22, 2023
Location: St. Charles, Mo.
Venue: Hyland Arena
Tip-Off: 6:00 p.m. CT
All-Time Series: First Meeting
Last Meeting: First Meeting
Live Stats: Stats
Live Video: Watch

Matchup
The Lindenwood men's basketball ends their 2023-24 non-conference schedule on Friday when they host Division III opponent Rockford University in Hyland Arena starting at 6:00 p.m. CT. The Lions currently sit at a 5-7 record before starting their second Ohio Valley Conference season.

Lindenwood is coming off a loss in their last away non-conference game against in-state opponent Missouri State by a final score of 57-79. Jaylon McDaniel scored a season high 13 points in the loss at the Bears. Their 31.7% shooting percentage from the field was their second lowest of the season (28.3% at Iowa State).

Rockford has a 9-3 record this season with a 3-2 record in the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference. On the road this season, the Regents are 2-2 while scoring an average of 76.5 points per game in those contests. This week Rockford picked up a 73-59 win vs. Earlham College. This will be an exhibition game for Rockford.

On the season, Lindenwood is shooting 40.5% from the field while making 73.6% from the line which ranks first in the OVC. In their last game against Missouri State, Lindenwood shot 31.7% from the field for the game. LU's two leading scorers, Keenon Cole and Darius Beane, combined for just 16 points in the loss.

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
Even in a tough loss at Missouri State, Jaylon McDaniel put up his best scoring output of the season dropping 13 points against the Bears. It marked the third time this season that McDaniel has scored in double figures. The big man is shooting 45.3% from the field, third best on the Lindenwood squad.

The Northwest Florida State transfer is averaging 6.5 ppg in his first season with Lindenwood. He has made 24-53 shots this season while making 72.7% of his shots from the foul line (24-33). McDaniel also had seven blocks on the season to go along with averaging 2.7 rebounds per game.

OVC Top Ten
With his average of 17.6 points per game, Cole is tied for second in the conference in scoring. His 211 total points is ow ranked third among all players in the OVC. Not only his he effective from the floor, but Cole's 81.4% from the FT ranks seventh in the OVC. Cole's 57 made foul shots also ranks first. He is averaging the fourth most minutes in the conference (32.9). Cole also ranks 11th in FG% sitting at 43.0%.

Darius Beane dropped back one spot in the OVC rankings in scoring this week after his six points at Missouri State. He is averaging just shy of 14.0 ppg (13.8). Among qualified players in the OVC, he ranks fourth in FG% after shooting 48.5% from the field.

Colin Ruffin has also been active on defense averaging the third most steals in the entire conference with an average of 1.6. He has a total of 19 steals this season during his freshman campaign which is third in the OVC.

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 Rockford
The Regents are coached by Jeremy Reigle who is entering his third season at the helm at Rockford University. Reigle has a career record of 37-22 record thus far with a 2017 NACC record. He previously was the head coach at Presentation College for nine years.

Rockford has two players this season averaging over 10 points a game with two more averaging just below that mark with over nine points a game. Kevin Diemer has started all 12 games for the Regents averaging a team high 18.4 ppg while shooting 51.1% from the field. Jaden Bell is also averaging 14.9 ppg this season.

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 start Ohio Valley Conference play after the break as they host former GLVC member Southern Indiana on December 31 at 2:300 p.m. in Hyland Arena. For more information go to lindenwoodlions.com.