Game #8
Lindenwood (2-5, 0-0 OVC)
vs. East-West University (0-4)
Match Information:
Date: Wednesday, Dec. 4th, 2024
Location: St. Charles, Mo.
Venue: Robert F. Hyland Arena
Tip-Off: 6:00 p.m. CT 
All-Time Series: 1-0
Last Meeting: 103-56
Live Stats: Stats
Live Video: Watch

Matchup
Lindenwood men's basketball returns home to Hyland Arena as they take on NAIA opponent East-West University at 6:00 p.m. CT on Wednesday, Dec. 4th. This marks the first home game for the Lions since defeating UHSP on November 7th. Lindenwood will play five out of their next six games at home.

Last Wednesday before Thanksgiving break, the Lions fell at SEC opponent Missouri by a final score of 81-61. Lindenwood had two double-digit scorers in the loss at Columbia including a season-best 21 points from Markeith Browning II. He has now scored 20 points in back-to-back games, the first player to do so since Keenon Cole did it a season ago.

Jadis Jones took home his third Ohio Valley Conference Freshman of the Week award after scoring 14-point at Missouri while grabbing eight rebounds. Jones went 6-9 from the floor while adding two steals. Against SEC opponents, Jones is averaging 12.0 points per game while grabbing nine rebounds.

Lindenwood is averaging 69.3 points per game this season with them scoring over 70 points in three out of their first seven games. The Lions are led by three double-digit scorers including Browning II who leads the Lions averaging 13.0 points per game. Jones follows Browning averaging 12.7 points per game while Anias Futrell adding 11.7 a night.

Player to Watch
Graduate transfer Browning II has stepped up for the Lions in recent weeks averaging 20.5 points per game in his last two games. Against Valparaiso, he scored 20 points while shooting 9-16 from the floor including two three-pointers. He followed that with 21 points at Missouri last Wednesday while shooting 7-16 from the floor and going 6-6 from the foul line. He also picked up a season-high four steals against Mizzou.

Browning II has picked up a steal in every game this season and has had multiple steals in each of his last four games. On the season, Browning is averaging 13.0 points per game while shooting 39.8% from the field. He also averages 3.4 rebounds a night while adding 2.4 assists.

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. 

East-West Notes
Based out of Chicago, Ill., the Phantoms of East-West University have played two Ohio Valley Conference opponents so far this season (Tennessee State and Southern Indiana). The Phantoms will also take on Western Illinois and Northern Illinois as well.

During their two games against Division I opponents, East-West has averaged 39.5 points per game while being held to 21.7% shooting from the field. Opponents are averaging 107 points a night against the Phantoms while grabbing 70 rebounds.

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 Streamwood, 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 hit the road for their final away non-conference game of the season this Saturday, Dec. 7th against #23 Ole Miss in Oxford, Miss. Tip-off is slated for 7:00 p.m. CT. For more information go to lindenwoodlions.com.