Today's Game

• The Lindenwood Lions will play their second straight road game on Sunday when they travel to Topeka, Kan. to take on the Washburn Ichabods.

• Lindenwood is coming off a 98-96 loss to the Nebraska-Kearney Lopers. The loss dropped the Lions to 6-7 on the season and 1-2 in the MIAA.
 
• Washburn enters the game with a record of 9-1 on the season and 2-1 in MIAA play. The Ichabods won their last game against Lincoln. Washburn is a perfect 6-0 at home.
 
• The Lions and the Ichabods have met one time and Washburn won the game 66-63.

Lindenwood Notes

• Tyler Ressel had his best game of his career and one of the best in program history. Against Missouri S&T, his 41 points scored was the second highest point total in program history. He also broke the school record for free throw attempts with 24 and tied the record for free throws made with 21.

• Darris Smith is the team's lone returning starter and has started off the season very well. In 13 games, he has averaged over 34 minutes a game and has just 19 turnovers compared to 43 assists. Twice this season the junior has played in all 40 minutes.

• Sophomore Brandon Marquardt was the first Lion off the bench in the first four games but is now in the starting lineup. He has also been very effective. Marquardt is averaging 10.9 points and has scored in double figures eight times.

• The Lions have done a good job spreading the scoring around in the early season. Lindenwood has three guys that average over 10 points a game and three more that average over seven.

• Three-point shooting has been a strength in the early season. The Lions have made at least seven threes in every game but four. Three times this season, Lindenwood made a season-high 10 threes in a game. When the Lions attempt more threes than their opponents the team is 3-1 and are 5-2 when its makes more threes.

• With the injury to backup point guard Nick Van Osdale, Tyler Ressel has had to step up and run the point while Smith has taken a rest. Ressel has dished out 37 assists while running the point.   

• Working the glass on the offensive side has been a positive for the Lions in the early season. Garrett Reeg is leading the team in offensive rebounds with 34.

 • In 13 games, there has been five separate Lions lead the team in scoring. Darris Smith,Tyler Ressel, and Michael Boos are the only Lions that  have led the team in scoring more than once.

• Rebounding has not been a problem in the early season for the Lions. The team has won the rebounding battle in all but five games.

• The Lions two starting bigs have been very efficient shooting the ball this season. Garrett Reeg and Sam Mader have started every game this season and have shot at a 55 percent clip.

• In every game but two this season the Lions have shot at least 10 free throws. Five times this season Lindenwood has had games when it took 30 free throws.

• In the loss to Missouri S&T, the Lions 45 free throws attempted was the second most free throws in school hostory.

• When the Lions offense has been clicking they have been tough to beat. When they score over 80 points the team is 5-2.

• Freshman Marcus Hinton has made an early impact in his career. Hinton is averaging five points a game to go along with three rebounds as a freshman.

• The Lions starting five have been frequent visitors to the charity stripe this season. The five starters have taken 267 free throws and are shooting 81 percent from the stripe.

• So far this season, there has only been four games that has been decided by less than 10 points. The closest game has been two points.

• In 2012-13, the Lions did not play a nationally ranked team. But already in 2013-14 Lindenwood has played two top-five teams.

• Unlike last year's team which had six seniors this season's squad has just one. Tyler Ressel is the only senior on the roster.

• The Hyland Arena floor has been very good to the Lions since Brad Soderberg took over. In his first five seasons, Lindenwood is 56-12 at home.

Washburn Notes

• The Washburn Ichabods enter today's game with a record of 9-1 overall and 2-1 in MIAA play. The Ichabods won their last time out against Lincoln.

• As a team, the Ichabods are averaging 84.8 points a game and are giving up 74.9. Washburn is shooting 48 percent from the field and 39 percent from behind the arc. The Ichabods are also shooting 66 percent from the free-throw line.  

• The Ichabods are led by three players who score in double figures. Kyle Wiggins leads the team with an average of 15.4 points a game. Alex North is second on the team with an average of 14.0 while Jeff Reid pours in 11.2 a game.

• Bob Chipman is the head coach of the Ichabods and is in his 35th season at Washburn. Chipman has won over 700 games in his time at the helm