Complete Game Notes
Game #11: Culver-Stockton (7-7) at Lincoln (7-3)
Date: Sunday, December 30, 2018
Time: 2:00 p.m. CST
Site: Jason Gym (1,538) in Jefferson City, Mo.
Tickets: Adults - $5.00 | LU Faculty & Staff/Non-LU Students - $3.00 | LU Students & Kids 5 and Under – Free
Live Video: http://www.themiaanetwork.com/lubluetigers/
Live Stats: https://lubluetigers.com/sidearmstats/mbball/

THE TIP OFF:  The Lincoln men's basketball team will try to keep its winning streak going on Sunday (Dec. 30) when the Blue Tigers host Culver-Stockton at 2:00 p.m. CST. It's the final non-conference game of 2018-19 for the Blue Tigers, who have won three-straight after beating Quincy, 81-66, and McKendree, 73-69, at the QU Subway Holiday Classic on Dec. 15-16. Lincoln enters the game with a 7-3 overall record as well as a 2-1 mark at home and a 6-2 record in non-conference games, and will try to enter the bulk of its MIAA slate with a fourth-straight victory. Culver-Stockton is 7-7 on the year and has lost its last two games, as the Wildcats fell to Peru State, 105-56, and Hannibal-LaGrange, 77-69, both on the road, in their previous two contests.

FAST BREAKS
- This is the eighth meeting between Lincoln and Culver-Stockton, with the Blue Tigers having won each of the previous seven contests.

- Lincoln and Culver-Stockton are meeting for the first time since the 1985-86 season, when the Blue Tigers beat the Wildcats at home, 79-64.

- Lincoln is 6-2 in non-conference games this season, including 2-1 at home.

- In each of the past three seasons, LU has won its final home non-conference contest.

PREVIEWING THE BLUE TIGERS:  Terrance Smith leads Lincoln with 15.4 points and 6.6 boards per night while Amariontez Ivory and Jonell Burton each average 14.8 points. Ni'sean Rigmaiden, who averages 3.8 assists, and Grant Olsson, who is averaging 8.6 points, are the other likely starters while L'Kielynn Taylor averages 4.6 rebounds off the bench.

HEAD COACH JOHN MOSELEY:  Now in his fifth season as the head coach of the Blue Tigers, Moseley has led LU to three-straight postseason appearances as well as three-consecutive winning seasons. In 2015-16, he became the first coach to take Lincoln to the postseason since 1986-87 and led LU to its first winning campaign since 2001-02. Over the past two years, Moseley has guided Lincoln to 32 victories.

LAST TIME OUT
Lincoln 81, Quincy 66
Terrance Smith led five Blue Tigers in double figures with 22 points as Lincoln topped Quincy in its first game at the QU Subway Holiday Classic on Dec. 15. Jonell Burton added 15 points, Grant Olsson scored 10 and Amariontez Ivory and John Burton each chipped in 12 points as LU shot .517 from the floor.

Lincoln 73, McKendree 69
Amariontez Ivory scored 22 points and Ni'Sean Rigmaiden chipped in 16 while tallying four steals and five assists as Lincoln beat McKendree at the QU Subway Holiday Classic on Dec. 16. Grant Olsson added 12 points and Jonell Burton finished with 10 while L'Kielynn Taylor had nine points and a team-high nine rebounds.

SCOUTING THE WILDCATS:  Troy Green leads Culver-Stockton with 6.5 rebounds per game as CSC out-rebounds opponents by an average of 38.5-37.4. Mike Johnson is the team's top scorer with 17.1 per contest, followed by Mason Vires (14.4) and Thaddeus Newby (12.0). Johnson also leads the team in assists (46) and steals (31).

CSC HEAD COACH AARON HILL:  The first-year leader of the Wildcats has won seven games entering this weekend, including three in league play. A two-time Missouri All-State high school player, Hill, a Rockhurst grad who ranks fifth on the Hawks' all-time scoring lis, spent the last four years as an assistant at East Central. During that time, Hill helped the Tigers win a pair of Great American Conference titles and make the NCAA tournament.

IVORY TOWER:  Amariontez Ivory scored at least 10 points in 21 of his 29 games last year, and is off to another strong start in 2018-19. Ivory led Lincoln with 20 points in the season-opener, then scored 21 against Lane. An All-MIAA honorable mention last year, Ivory now has tallied 13 total performances with 20-plus points and averages 14.5 points this season with nine double-digit point performances.

THREE'S COMPANY:  Amariontez Ivory has been hot from beyond the arc, as he is ranked among the best in NCAA Division II in three-point shooting. Ivory ranks 26th in the nation with 3.3 treys per game, and his .493 shooting percentage from long range is also 27th.

AGENT SMITH:  Terrance Smith has doubled up in three games this season, including tallying season-highs in points (30) and rebounds (12) in LU's win over Ecclesia. Smith, who also had double-doubles against Missouri S&T and Northwest Missouri, leads the team with 16.8 points and 6.6 boards per game. Smith also ranks 71st in NCAA Division II in total blocks (14).

DIALING LONG DISTANCE:  Lincoln is once again one of the top teams in the MIAA in three-point shooting, as LU is second in the conference with a .450 percentage from long distance. That percentage is the fourth-best this year in NCAA Division II. LU is averaging 10.3 treys per night, the third-most in the conference, and has made 103 overall treys in 2018-19.

BURTON TO BURTON:  Lincoln has a pair of outstanding point guards who just happen to share a last name. Jonell Burton and John Burton (unrelated) each scored in double figures in Lincoln's season-opening win, and Jonell, with 12.9 points per game, is third among the Blue Tigers in scoring. John, meanwhile, finished second in the MIAA in three-point shooting (.451) last year and is shooting .471 from long distance in 2018-19.

HE GIVES AND HE TAKES:  Ni'Sean Rigmaiden has been a huge asset to the Blue Tigers in nearly every facet of the game, but especially in assists and steals, where he leads the team with 46 and 20, respectively. Rigmaiden, who is eighth in the MIAA in assists and fourth in total steals, also averages 10.4 points and 3.2 rebounds per game and had a 20-point game against Missouri Western.

OFF THE GLASS:  The Blue Tigers have out-gaines other teams in rebounds five times this year and, as a result, are second in the MIAA in rebound defense (31.4). Terrance Smith leads LU with 6.6 boards per game, followed by Jonell Burton (4.8) and L'Kielynn Taylor (4.6).

BLOCK PARTY:  Terrance Smith has blocked a pair of shots in six of Lincoln's 10 games, and his 14 rejections are the second-most in the MIAA and rank 71st in the country. As a team, Lincoln is second in the MIAA with 3.6 blocks per contest.

POINTS FOR FREE:  Lincoln takes advantage of its opportunities at the line, as the Blue Tigers are shooting .786 on free throws, a percentage that is second in the MIAA and 14th in NCAA Division II. Amariontez Ivory is a perfect 22-for-22 at the line while three other LU players are shooting .800 or better.

RESERVATIONS:  You can reserve your seats for all of Lincoln's home games today! Reserved seats cost $100 and include admission to all of LU's regular season home games. To purchase your seats, visit https://14186.thankyou4caring.org/2017-18-sports-passes.

GEAR UP FOR THE GAME:  Lincoln fans can get everything they need for the game at www.BlueTigersStore.com, the official online store for LU athletics. Everything from jerseys to office supplies can be found on the site, with a portion of all sales going to benefit Lincoln athletics.

NEXT UP:  The Blue Tigers resume MIAA play on Thursday (Jan. 3) when LU hosts Pittsburg State at 7:30 p.m. CST.