Lindenwood Lions vs. Northeastern State RiverHwks
(4-3, 0-1 MIAA) (1-6, 0-1 MIAA)
Saturday Dec. 6, 2014 - 5:30 p.m. - Tahlequah, Okla. - NSU Event Center
GAME DAY
• The Lindenwood Lions will close out its first conference road trip with another game in Oklahoma. The Lions travel to Tahelquah, Okla. to take on the Northeastern State RiverHawks.
• Lindenwood is coming off a 93-70 loss to the Northeastern State RiverHawks. The Northeastern State RiverHawks are coming off a loss to the Lincoln Blue Tigers.
• The RiverHawks welcome the Lions for their second straight MIAA conference home game. Northeastern State has lost five games in a row coming into the game.
• Lindenwood and Northeastern State have played four times and the Lions hold the 3-1 edge.
GAME DAY
• Since joining the MIAA in 2012-13 the Lions have compiled a record of 18-20 in MIAA games including a 7-12 mark on the road.
• Free throw shooting down the stretch has been a strength in the early season. The Lions are 15-for-20 in free throws with less the five minutes to play in the game.
• The Lindenwood offense has fallen in love with the three point shot in the early season. The Lions have shot over 20 threes in every game but one. The season high of 26 came in a loss to Central Oklahoma. The team has also made more threes than its opponents in every game.
• If the Lions have the lead with five minutes to play the team is undefeated but in the team's two losses they have been trailing at that moment.
• When the Lions have shot a higher percentage than their opponents they have won. In the team's two losses their opponents shot higher.
• Garrett Reeg is in his final season as a Lindenwood Lion and is climbing up the career charts. He has led his team in rebounding 29 times in his career is fourth on the career rebounding list. He is just 62 rebounds behind Toriano Adams for third place. Reeg is also approaching 1,000 career points and is 92 points from the milestone. His career field goal percentage of 55 percent is second all-time on the career list.
• Cory Arentsen has made his presence felt already for the Lions. In the team's first seven games Arentsen has led the team in points twice and rebounds in another two. He is leading the team in points with just over 12 points a game and has scored in double figures in five of seven games.
• Over the past five seasons the Lions have compiled a home non-conference record of 20-3. Two of the team's five seasons Lindenwood has been undefeated in non-conference home games.
• Rebounding has been another stat that has been important in the early season. In seven games, the Lions have won the rebounding battle four and lost it three times. In the four games the team has won the rebounding edge the team is 4-0.
• Heading into the Central Oklahoma game the Lions had the best defense in the MIAA. But after the UCO game the Lions dropped to 10th.
• The Hyland Arena floor has been very good to the Lions since Brad Soderberg took over. In his first five seasons, Lindenwood is 62-14 at home.
• Playing on a neutral court has not been to kind to the Lions over the past two seasons. Lindenwood is 0-5 on a neutral court.
• Coach Soderberg is the all-time leader in school history in wins and winning percentage.
• Four Lions will be playing their final seasons in a Lindenwood uniform. Darris Smith, Garrett Reeg, Michael Boos, and Chanse Creekmur will be finishing their careers this season.
• The MIAA coaches picked the Lions as the ninth best team in the conference in the preseason coaches poll. Defending DII National Champions Central Missouri was picked as the top team in the conference followed by Fort Hays State, Washburn, Northwest Missouri, and Missouri Southern in the top five.
• Coach Soderberg and his staff have added three NCAA Division I transfers in the offseason. The Lions welcome Chanse Creekmur from Arizona State, LJ McIntosh from Texas Pan-American, Cory Arentsen from Austin Peay, and Nick Carlos from Central Michigan.
