Game #9
Lindenwood (3-5, 0-0 OVC)
at #23/20 Ole Miss (7-1, 0-0 SEC)
Match Information:
Date: Saturday, Dec. 7th, 2024
Location: Oxford, Miss.
Venue: The Sandy and John Black Pavilion
Tip-Off: 7:00 p.m. CT 
All-Time Series: 0-0
Live Stats: Stats
Live Video: Watch

Matchup
Lindenwood men's basketball will face only their third ranked opponent in program history on Saturday when they face #23 ranked Ole Miss in Oxford, Miss. The last time the Lions took on a ranked opponent was during their first Division I season when they played #16 Illinois and #24 Dayton.

This also is the last away game for the Lions during their non-conference schedule as well as in the month of December. Lindenwood will have four-straight home games after facing the Rebels this Saturday. Their next away game will not be til after the New Year on January 2nd at Eastern Illinois.

Lindenwood is coming off a resounding 102-point effort against NAIA opponent East-West University on Wednesday. The Lions scored over 100 points for the first time since Feb. 23, 2023 in a win over Ohio Valley Conference opponent SEMO. The Lions had five double-digit scorers in the win including 15 points from St. Louis, Mo. native Anias Futrell. Futrell went 3-4 from deep as the Lions hit 12 three-pointers, their most all season.

Ole Miss will be the third Southeastern Conference (SEC) opponent for the Lions this season. The Rebels are led by second-year head coach Chris Beard. The 2019 National Coach of the Year has the Rebels at 7-1 during their non-conference schedule including a 23-point victory during the SEC/ACC Challenge against Louisville.

Player to Watch
Clayton Jackson made his first start in a Lindenwood uniform as a true freshman against East-West last Wednesday. Jackson was second on the team in points with 14 while shooting 5-9 from the floor, making two three points and grabbing four rebounds.

He is averaging 7.5 points a night while shooting 48.0% from the floor and 30.4% from three. He has three double-digit scoring efforts this season including a season-high 15 points against New Orleans where he went 3-5 from deep.

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. 

Ole Miss Notes
The Rebels are led by four double-digit scorers during their first eight games of the season. Ole Miss will be the first ranked opponents the Lions have faced since their inaugural Division I season. Jaylen Murray is the Rebel's leading scorer averaging 14.0 points per game. He is averaging 32.8 minutes a night and is shooting 47.3% from the field. He has six double-digit performances this season including a season-high 28 points against BYU.

Sean Pedulla is also averaging 13.4 points a night and has started all eight games this season. Pedulla is hooting 41.8% from downtown this season and has hit 18 three-pointers. As a team, Ole Miss is averaging 83.0 points a night which ranks 52nd in the country.

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 returns to Hyland Arena for the remainder of the December starting on Tuesday, Dec. 10th at 6:00 p.m. CT against Harris-Stowe. For more information go to lindenwoodlions.com.