The Lindenwood Men's Basketball team (1-1, 0-0 OVC) put together a dominant performance Thursday night in its home opener, defeating the Central Bible University Saints by a final score of 120-46. Shamiere Green and Derek Rollins led the way offensively, while six Lions finished in double figures in the contest.
Lindenwood got off to a strong start, opening the game on a 12-0 run while forcing Central Bible to miss its first six shots from the floor. Kellen Robinson made an immediate impact in his collegiate debut, knocking down his first two three-point attempts to make it a 25-4 lead for the Black and Gold with 12:21 to go in the half. The Lions continued to build their advantage, taking a 35-6 lead with 9:38 remaining before carrying a 63-15 advantage into the locker room. Green and Rollins led the way with 12 points apiece at the break, while Rollins added two blocks defensively. Lindenwood also dominated the glass, collecting 27 rebounds, including eight on the offensive end. The Lions forced seven turnovers that resulted in 18 points and held the Saints to just 18% shooting from the floor in the opening 20 minutes.
The Lions carried their momentum into the second half, as Noah Taitz and Dom Clay connected on back-to-back three pointers before the under 16 media timeout to extend the lead to 74-19. Robinson and Rollins then combined for the next nine points during a 9-2 run, giving Lindenwood a 58 point advantage with 14:34 remaining.
Later in the half, Xavier Spencer and Green each knocked down a pair of three pointers over a five minute stretch as the Lions continued to pull away. Lindenwood ultimately secured a 74 point victory, earning its fifth consecutive home opening victory.
As a team, Lindenwood connected on 16 of 27 attempts from beyond the arc (59.3%) and outrebounded the Saints 52-25. The Lions also made their presence felt defensively, forcing 21 turnovers and converting them into 29 points. Green paced the offense with a game-high 20 points and knocked down a team-high four three-pointers, while also recording a team best three steals. Spencer, Clay, and Rollins each pulled down six rebounds, while Spencer and Clay dished out five assists apiece.
The Lions will look to carry their momentum into Saturday's matchup against East-West University. Tipoff is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. on ESPN+ inside Hyland Arena.
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