Game #1
Lindenwood (0-0, 0-0 OVC)
at Oklahoma (0-0, 0-0 OVC)
Match Information:
Date: Monday, Nov. 4, 2024
Location: Norman, Okla.
Venue: Lloyd Noble Center
Tip-Off: 8:00 p.m. CT
All-Time Series: 0-0
Last Meeting: First Meeting
Live Stats: Stats
Live Video: Watch

Matchup
The Lindenwood men's basketball team opens up their 2024-25 season with a trip to Norman, Okla. when they take on the Sooners of Oklahoma University at the Lloyd Noble Center with a tip-off of 8:00 p.m. CT.

Oklahoma marks the first of three SEC opponents for the Lions along with Missouri (Nov. 27th) and Ole Miss (Dec. 7th). Lindenwood is on the road for all but one game in November (Nov. 7th vs. UHSP).

Coming into the 2024-25 season, head coach Kyle Gerdeman has brought in a lot of new faces to the Lindenwood Lions program. LU has 10 new players to the roster including Division I transfers Markeith Browning II and Reggie Bass. Gerdeman and his staff also added six freshman including the Missouri Gatorade Player of the Year Jadis Jones.

Even with a roster turnover, Lindenwood retained key players from last year's squad. Jeremiah Talton and Jaylon McDaniel both return to St. Charles, Mo. leading the returning Lions after they both averaged 7.0 points during the 2023-24 season.

Player to Watch
Anias Futrell, a St. Louis native, comes home to Lindenwood for his senior season after spending last season at Christian Brothers University. Futrell attended McCluer High School before going to St. Louis Community College for two seasons. While at STCC, Futrell averaged 18.5 points per game while garnering All-Midwest Community College Athletic Conference honors and First Team All-Region.

While at Christian Brothers, Futrell averaged 17.6 points during his lone season. Not only could he score, Futrell averaged 6.4 rebounds per game while adding 1.7 assists. He led the team in minutes per night averaging 34.1. Futrell shot 46.5% from the field and 35.1% from deep while making 27 starts. He scored in double-digits in all but two games and scored a career-high 31 points against LeMoyne-Owen.

During Lindenwood's lone exhibition game vs. Hannibal-LaGrange, Futrell led the team with 15 points while shooting 5-8 from the field including two triples. He also added five rebounds and two assists in 23 minutes of action.

OVC Preseason Rankings
In a vote of Ohio Valley Conference head men's basketball coaches and communication directors, Little Rock has been picked the preseason favorites for the 2024-25 season. Lindenwood was picked to finish ninth receiving 67 points, their most since joining the OVC.

Little Rock picked up 20 of the 22 first-place votes in the conference. Western Illinois (172 points), SIUE (151 points, 2 first-place votes) and Tennessee State (134) rounded out the top four in the OVC. Defending OVC Champions Morehead State were selected to finish fifth this season followed by Eastern Illinois, SEMO, Southern Indiana, Lindenwood, UT Martin and Tennessee Tech.

The Ohio Valley Conference also selected two 'Players To Watch" from each OVC school to start the upcoming season. Talton and newcomer Browning were tabbed as Lindenwood's players to watch for the 2024-25 season. 

Scouting Oklahoma
The Oklahoma Sooners are coached by Porter Moser who enters his fifth season in Norman, Okla. Moser coached Oklahoma to a 20-12 record during the 2023-24 season losing in the first round of the Big 12 Tournament. 

The Sooners return their second leading scorer from a season ago in Jalon Moore. Moore averaged 11.1 points per game last season while shooting 41.0% from deep. Kobe Elvis also joins the Sooners roster after starting 33 games for Dayton last season. Elvis averaged 9.4 ppg last season with the Flyers.

Head Coach: Kyle Gerdeman
Kyle Gerdeman is entering his sixth year at the helm of the Lindenwood men's basketball program in 2024-25.

During the 2023-24 season, Gerdeman coached Keenon Cole to second team all-conference honors. The Stremwood, Ill.native averaged 18.1 points per game, which ranked fourth in the OVC. Cole poured in a career-high 42 points in a 74-68 road win over SEMO on January 11. For his performance, Cole was tabbed the OVC Player of the Week as well as being recognized as one of the Oscar Robertson National Players of the Week. 
 
In 2022-23, Lindenwood earned a spot in the OVC Championship tournament after a wild ending to the year.  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) during the 2022-23 season.  Chris Childs held the top spot in the league with a free-throw percentage of 92.7, while 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
Lindenwood will host UHSP on Thursday, Nov. 7th for their home opener inside Hyland Arena. Tip-off is set for 6:00 p.m. CT with the game being streamed on ESPN+. For more information go to lindenwoodlions.com.