Game #31
Lindenwood (14-16, 9-10 OVC)
at Tennessee Tech (15-15, 10-9 OVC)
Match Information:
Date: Saturday, Mar. 1st, 2025
Location: Cookeville, Tenn.
Venue: Eblen Center
Tip-Off: 3:00 p.m. CT
All-Time Series: 1-3
Last Meeting: L, 73-79
Live Stats: Stats
Live Video: Watch

Matchup
Lindenwood men's basketball ends the 2024-25 regular season this Saturday as the Lions battle the Golden Eagles of Tennessee Tech. LU will have a shot to secure the umber five seed in the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament with a win, and can finish as low as seventh with a loss. This marks the second time in Lindenwood's three-year Division I history that they have made the OVC Championships. Tip-off on Saturday is set for 3:00 p.m. CT in Cookeville, Tenn.

Lindenwood played their third overtime game in their last four games played on Tuesday as they fell to the Leathernecks of Western Illinois by a final score of 86-81. With two seconds left in regulation, Western Illinois threw up a long three which tied the game to force OT. Anias Futrell shot 8-16 from the floor on his way to 23 points on Tuesday. Despite struggling from the floor, Reggie Bass scored 18-points while dishing out a season-high seven assists. Lindenwood assisted on 15 of their 29 made field-goals against WIU. Jadis Jones (13 points) and Markeith Browning II (11 points) also scored in double-figures.

The Lions and Golden Eagles have not played since the first weekend of the OVC season in Hyland Arena as the Lions suffered a 79-73 loss. Browning II scored 20 points in the loss as the Golden Eagles drained 11 three-pointers to just three by the Lions.

After 19 games through OVC play, Lindenwood has averaged 69.7 points per game while shooting 40.9% from the field. Four different Lions are averaging at least 13.0 points in OVC play making them the only team to have four top 20 scorers in the conference.

Tennessee Tech is coached by John Pelphrey who has entered his sixth season at the helm. Pelphrey has coached the Golden Eagles to a 15-15 overall record this season with a 10-9 conference record. They are coming off a home loss to Western Illinois by a score of 82-69.

Player to Watch
Anias Futrell has been the best Lindenwood three-point threat this season averaging just shy of two per game (1.8). He has made multiple threes in 14 games this season. After going 0-27 from deep in his last four games, Futrell responded two Saturdays ago going 4-7 from three on his way to 18 points. Futrell has scored in double-figures 16 times this season and over 20 five times. He is also an active rebounder averaging 5.8 a game.

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 Tennessee Tech
The Golden Eagles sit just one game ahead of the Lions with a 10-9 OVC record and are 15-15 overall this season. Tennessee Tech averages 72.2 points per game this season while shooting 43.1% from the floor. They are coming off a loss against Western Illinois in their last game on Thursday.

This group is led by a trio of double-figure scorers including Jaylon Johnson who averages a team-high 13.9 points per game. Johnson is currently shooting 40.7% from the floor and 35.4% from three-point range.

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 compete in the OVC Championships next week starting on Wednesday, March 5th. Times and opponents will be released on Saturday after the conclusion of the regular season. For more information go to lindenwoodlions.com.