Game #26
Lindenwood (8-17, 2-10 OVC)
at SIUE (13-12, 6-6 OVC)
Match Information:
Date: Thursday, Feb. 15, 2024
Location: Edwardsville, Ill.
Venue: First Community Arena
Tip-Off: 7:30 p.m. CT
All-Time Series: 0-3
Last Meeting: L, 59-78
Live Stats: Stats
Live Video: Watch
KCLC: Radio

Matchup
The Lindenwood men's basketball team hits the road for the first time in two weeks on Thursday, Feb. 15 as they take on the Cougars of SIUE at 7:30 p.m. for a battle across the Mississippi River. Lindenwood is looking for a late push to qualify for the OVC Tournament.

The Lions are coming off a tough defensive battle against Tennessee Tech on Saturday in a 62-53 (OT) loss. Lindenwood started the game off fast on a 14-0 run but fell to end a four-game home stand. Keenon Cole led the way with a team-high 17 points.

SIUE currently ranks sixth heading into the week with a 6-6 conference record. SIUE is currently on a three-game losing skid but have a winning record at home in conference play at 5-2. The Cougars defeat LU earlier this season in Hyland Arena by a final score of 78-59.

During OVC competition, the Lions are averaging 62.5 ppg which ranks 11th among all OVC teams. They are shooting 39.4% during those games which also ranks 11th. Throughout the entire season, LU is averaging 65.1 points a game behind the Lion's two leading scorers Keenon Cole (18.9 ppg) and Darius Beane (12.8 ppg). The duo combines for 48.6% of Lindenwood's scoring.

To begin the season, the Lions were picked to finish 10th in the Ohio Valley Conference as they begin their second Division I season in program history under head coach Kyle Gerdeman.

Player to Watch
Keenon Cole has been the leading scorer for the Lions all season averaging 18.9 points in his senior season. The two-year forward has started all 25 games scoring in double-digits in every single game, the longest streak since TJ Crockett between the 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons.

Cole has scored over 20 points 10 times this season including four out of his last seven games in OVC play. He scored a career-high 42 points earlier this season in at win at SEMO and was named OVC Player of the Week and USBWA National Player of the Week. Last week he scored 17 points in the overtime loss against the Golden Eagles of Tennessee Tech. He needs just 113 points to reach 1,000 points during his Lindenwood career.

OVC Top Ten
Cole sits in third place in the OVC this week in scoring while averaging 18.9 points per game. He ranks third in the conference in total points after Saturday's 17-point game with 473. He also ranks eighth in free-throw percentage at 80.8%, eighth in field-goal percentage (42.3%) and second in minutes averaging 34.4. Cole ranks 10th in rebounds averaging 6.4 this season.

OVC Preseason Rankings
In a vote of Ohio Valley Conference head men's basketball coaches and communication directors, Morehead State has been picked the preseason favorites for the 2023-24 season. It marks the second-straight year the Eagles have been tabbed the favorites.
 
The Eagles picked up 20 of 22 first-place votes (teams could not vote for themselves); Tennessee State picked up the other votes.  MSU tallied 200 points and was followed by SIUE (162), who was picked second. Tennessee State (153) was picked third and followed by UT Martin (149), Southeast Missouri (124), Tennessee Tech (120), Little Rock (85), Western Illinois (80), Southern Indiana (63), Lindenwood (40) and Eastern Illinois (34).

Scouting SIUE
The Cougars are led by fifth-year head coach Brian Barone. Barone has a career record of 60-87 in his first five season including a 32-53 OVC record. This season, his team is averaging the fifth most points in the conference at 70.6. They are also allowing the fourth fewest points averaging 69.1.

Shamar Wright is the Cougars' leading scorer averaging 14.9 points per game which ranks 10th in the OVC. His shooting percentage of 47.0% also ranks fourth. Wright has scored in double digits 20 times this season including a season-high 29 points in the season opener against North Park.

SIUE also has two more players averaging double-digits. Damarco Minor (14.2 ppg) and Ray'Sean Taylor (12.8 ppg) also lead the Cougars in most statistical categories. Taylor leads the team in three-pointers made with 58.

Head Coach: Kyle Gerdeman
Kyle Gerdeman enters his fifth year at the helm of the Lindenwood men's basketball program in the 2023-24 season. The Lions concluded their inaugural Division I season in 2022-23 where Gerdeman led the Lions to an appearances in the OVC Tournament after a wild finish to the season.

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).  Chris Childs held the top spot in the league with a free-throw percentage of 92.7, while Keenon 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
The Lions continue their road trip in Illinois with a trip to Charleston, Ill. to take on the Panthers of Eastern Illinois on Saturday, Feb. 17. Game time is slated to start at 3:30 p.m. CT. For more information go to lindenwoodlions.com.