Game #2
Lindenwood (0-1, 0-0 OVC)
vs. UHSP (1-0, 0-0 AMC)
Match Information:
Date: Tuesday, Nov. 7, 2024
Location: St. Charles, Mo.
Venue: Robert F. Hyland Arena
Tip-Off: 6:00 p.m. CT
All-Time Series: 2-0
Last Meeting: W, 81-64 (Nov. 17th, 2021)
Live Stats: Stats
Live Video: Watch

Matchup
The Lindenwood men's basketball team will host the University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy this Thursday, Nov. 7th for their 2024-25 home opener. This marks the lone home game for Lindenwood in the month of November. Tip-off is set for 6:00 p.m. CT inside Hyland Arena.

Lindenwood is coming off a 93-60 loss at Oklahoma where the Lions were held to 35.4% from the field. Oklahoma had five people in double-figures and were able to hit 14 three-pointers against the Lions.

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 transfer Markeith Browning II. Browning is coming off a 14-point performance at OU where he shot 7-18 from the field. He led all Lions scorers in 25 minutes played.

Jadis Jones showed why he was the Missouri Gatorade Player of the Year last season at New Madrid after posting a double-double in his first career start at LU. Jones posted 10 points and 10 rebounds in debut including five offensive rebounds. As a team, the Lions grabbed 11 offensive boards.

Lindenwood still returns some key pieces to their 2024-25 roster including Jeremiah Talton and Jaylon McDaniel. Talton and 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
Jones attended New Madrid County Central High School in New Madrid, Mo. a season ago where he was named the 2023-24 Gatorade Player of the Year for the state of Missouri after guiding his team to a state championship. During his career Jones eclipsed 2,000 points and 1,000 rebounds while leading the Eagles to a 28-3 record during his senior campaign. Jones averaged 27.1 points, 12.2 rebounds, 4.4 assists, 3.3 steals and 1.6 blocks per game during his senior season.

In his first game as a Lindenwood Lion, he posted a double-double at Oklahoma. He became the first Lion to post a double-double during the first game of the year since the 2021-22 season (Romelo Burrell). Jones shot 3-8 from the floor scoring 10 points while also adding 10 rebounds including five offensive.

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. 

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 travel to Pennsylvania to partake in the Urban-Bennett Invitational hosted by Robert Morris University. The Lions will take on New Orleans, Robert Morris and Stonehill throughout the weekend starting on Thursday, Nov. 14th at 3:00 p.m. CT. For more information go to lindenwoodlions.com.