Game #14
Lindenwood (6-8, 1-2 OVC)
at SIUE (8-6, 1-2 OVC)
Match Information:
Date: Saturday, Jan. 4th, 2024
Location: Edwardsville, Ill.
Venue: First Community Arena
Tip-Off: 3:30 p.m. CT
All-Time Series: 0-4
Last Meeting: L, 63-91
Live Stats: Stats
Live Video: Watch

Matchup
Lindenwood men's basketball continues their road trip this Saturday, Jan. 4th in Edwardsville, Ill. at 3:30 p.m. CT when they take on SIUE inside First Community Arena. This marks only the second Ohio Valley Conference road game for the Lions after coming off an overtime loss at Eastern Illinois on Thursday. Lindenwood has a 1-2 OVC record coming into Saturday's matchup.

Against Eastern Illinois on Thursday, Lindenwood responded by coming back from a 16-point second half deficit but fell short in overtime after a 9-2 EIU run to start the extra period. Lindenwood had two clutch three-pointers to end the second half from Jalen Bouknight and Anias Futrell. Futrell also managed to go 10-12 from the foul line in his return after missing the previous four games. Markeith Browning led the way for LU scoring 21-points which matched his season-high.

Southern Illinois - Edwardsville holds the all-time series against Lindenwood 4-0 since the Lions joined the OVC during the 2022-23 school year. In all but one game, Lindenwood has been held to just 60 points against SIUE. During their last game, te Cougars won in Edwardsville by a score of 91-63. Jeremiah Talton was LU's leading scorer with 18 points in the loss.

Lindenwood through three OVC contests has been averaging 72.7 points per game which ranks third in the conference. Browning II has averaged just shy of 20.0 points per game (19.7) in those three games while shooting 36.4% from the field.

SIUE is coached by Brian Barone who enters his sixth season at the held over in Edwardsville. The Cougars finished 17-16 in 2023-24 including a 9-9 mark in Ohio Valley Conference play. SIUE appeared in the OVC Tournament for the fourth consecutive season, a first for the program.

Player to Watch
Freshman Jadis Jones is the Lions' third leading scorer this season after averaging 11.1 ppg. Jones is shooting 53.9% from the floor this season while ranking second on the team in made field-goals with 62.

An active rebounder, Jones leads the team in rebounds per game averaging 6.7 per game. In 14 games this season, Jones has grabbed at least five rebounds 12 times including eight against WIU two games ago. He has been named the OVC Freshman of the Week four times this season.

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. 

SIUE Stats To Know
SIUE is averaging 74.1 points per game this season, the same as Lindenwood entering the beginning of the OVC season. The Cougars are shooting 43.6% from the floor and 33.6% from three. SIUE is one of the better rebounding teams in the country averaging 39.1 rebounds per game.

Ray'Sean Taylor is one of three double-digit scorers for the Cougars as he averages a team-high 17.4 points per game. Taylor is shooting 41.7% from the floor and 36.2% from three. He has scored in double-figures in all but two games this season and scored a season-high 30 against Western Michigan.

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 home to Hyland Arena for a meeting between Tennessee State on Thursday, Jan. 4th at 7:30 p.m. CT. For more information go to lindenwoodlions.com.