Complete Game Notes
Game #19: Lincoln (9-9, 1-8 MIAA) at Washburn (13-5, 8-1 MIAA)
Date: Thursday, Jan. 31, 2019
Time: 5:30 p.m. CST
Site: Topeka, Kan.
Live Stats: https://wusports.com/sidearmstats/wbball/
Live Video: http://www.themiaanetwork.com/

Game #20: Lincoln at Emporia State (14-5, 5-4 MIAA)
Date: Saturday, Feb. 2, 2019
Time: 1:30 p.m. CST
Site: Emporia, Kan.
Live Stats: https://esuhornets.com/sidearmstats/wbball/
Live Video: http://www.themiaanetwork.com/

THE TIP OFF:  The Blue Tigers head to the Sunflower State this week, as the Lincoln women's basketball team plays a pair of games in Kansas. First up for Lincoln is Washburn, with the Blue Tigers tipping off in Topeka, Kan. on Thursday (Jan. 31) at 5:30 p.m. CST. LU then will travel to Emporia, Kan. on Saturday (Feb. 2) to take on Emporia State in a 1:30 p.m. CST showdown. The Blue Tigers are coming off a 68-56 loss to Central Oklahoma at home on Saturday (Jan. 26), and will try to snap a seven game skid this week. Washburn is 13-5 on the year and 8-1 in MIAA play, and has won its past two contests, including beating Pittsburg State on the road, 70-66, on Saturday. Emporia State is 14-5 on the year and 5-4 in MIAA play, and has also won its last two games after a 76-61 road victory at Missouri Southern on Saturday.

FAST BREAKS
- This is the 27th meeting between Washburn and LU, with the Ichabods having won each of the previous 26.

- Lincoln and Emporia State will meet on Saturday for the 29th time, with the Lady Hornets leading the series, 26-2. The last LU win in the series came in 1993-94, when the Blue Tigers beat Emporia State, 65-61, in Jason Gym.

- After finishing with just four wins in 2017-18, Lincoln already has nine victories this year. A victory would give Lincoln its first 10-win season since going 12-14 during the 2014-15 campaign.

PREVIEWING THE BLUE TIGERS:  Zhanesha Dickerson is nearly averaging a double-double with 15.9 points and 8.3 rebounds per game, and Bre Coleman (13.1 ppg.), Zoi Thompson (14.5) and Tempary Gunter (8.9) are among Lincoln's other scoring leaders. Thompson averages team-highs in assists (4.4) and steals (1.6), while Alecia Gulledge (7.4 rpg.) and Kiara Shoulders (4.4 rpg.) are having strong seasons on the glass.

HEAD COACH AYANA McWILLIAMS:  A five-year veteran of the Division I ranks, McWilliams is in her third season as the head coach at Lincoln. In the past two years, the Blue Tigers have improved defensively in nearly every category. McWilliams previously worked as an assistant at South Carolina Upstate, a Division I program, and also was an assistant at Elizabeth City.

LAST TIME OUT:  The Blue Tigers held a 14-10 lead at the end of the first quarter, but a 22-point second quarter helped Central Oklahoma beat LU, 68-56, in Jason Gym on Saturday (Jan. 26). Kiara Shoulders (nine points, eight rebounds) and Bre Coleman (14 points, nine boards) nearly doubled up while Zhanesha Dickerson led Lincoln with 16 points.

SCOUTING THE ICHABODS:  Washburn scores nearly 10 more points per game than its opponents (68.1-58.4) and is averaging 39.3 rebounds while allowing 34.8 per contest. Three Ichabods average at least 10 points per game, with Reagan Phelan leading the way with 11.1 points and 4.7 assists per night. Taylor Blue is averaging 11.0 points to go with a team-high 5.4 rebounds while Hunter Bentley averages 10.6 points.

WU HEAD COACH RON McHENRY:  In his 19 seasons leading the Ichabods, McHenry has won over 400 games, including the 2004-05 Division II National Championship. McHenry has won eight MIAA regular season and seven tournament titles, winning more than 200 conference games in the process.

SCOUTING THE LADY HORNETS:  Emporia State excels at creating turnovers, generating 187 steals this season compared to 109 by opponents. Tiana Moala has 49 of the Lady Hornets' 93 blocks, while Tyra Jones, who averages a team-high 15.8 points and 7.9 rebounds, is next with 21 rejections. Jessica Wayne is also a strong two-way player, averaging 13.5 points and 7.4 boards to go with 13 blocks. Tre'Zure Jobe leads the team with 3.0 assists per game.

ESU HEAD COACH TOBY WYNN:  Following a tremendous 13-year career at Seward County Community College, Wynn is in his first season leading the Lady Hornets. Wynn led Seward to 349 victories and two NJCAAA Region VI titles, and won 180 conference games as well as four Jayhawk Conference regular season titles.

CLOSE CALLS:  Lincoln has played some very close games this season, with eight of LU's games being decided by six points or less. Those have been a mixed bag for the Blue Tigers, who are 2-6 in such contests, including a pair of one-point losses to Missouri Western & Southwest Baptist on the road, and an overtime loss to Missouri Southern at home.

LEAGUE LEADER:  Zoi Thompson led the Blue Tigers in November, earning MIAA Player of the Week accolades after nearly recording a triple double in a win over Stephens. Thompson ranks third in the MIAA in assists with 4.4 per game, and rates seventh in the league in scoring (14.5 ppg.) and fifth in field goal percentage (.395).

DOUBLE UP:  Seven times this year Zhanesha Dickerson has posted a double-double and leads the MIAA while ranking 50th in DII in double-doubles on the season. Dickerson, who is nearly averaging a double-double for the season, is fourth in the league in scoring (15.9 ppg.) and is third in rebounding (8.1 rpg.) and ranks 115th in Division II in rebounding average as well as 103rd in points per game.

GULL ON THE GLASS:  Alecia Gulledge has emerged as one of Lincoln's leaders on the glass, grabbing 7.4 boards per game, the seventh-most in the MIAA. Gulledge tallied a season-high 18 rebounds against Blackburn and posted her first double-double against Robert Morris-Springfield with 17 points and 12 boards.

TEMPARY SUCCESS:  Tempary Gunter has made her senior season a memorable one. In addition to starting all nine of LU's wins, Gunter hit the game-winning shot vs. McKendree before scoring a career-high 20 points against Blackburn. For the season, Gunter is averaging 8.9 points on .423 shooting, and also has 11 steals on the year.

BRE IS BACK:  Bre Coleman, Lincoln's leader in scoring and rebounding in 2017-18, has made a big impact on both sides of the ball since returning to the lineup in mid-December. Coleman is averaging 13.1 ppg. and 8.3 rpg., and has 15 steals while averaging just 26.8 minutes per contest.

REBOUNDING:  A big factor in Lincoln's improvement to nine victories after a four-win campaign in 2017-18 has been on the glass, as Lincoln has out-rebounded opponents in 11 of its 18 contests. LU owns a rebound margin of +5.4, the third-best in the MIAA. Zhanesha Dickerson is third in the MIAA with 8.1 rebounds per game while Alecia Gulledge is seventh at 7.4 rebounds per game.

SECOND CHANCES:  Lincoln has found ways to extend its possessions, leading the MIAA and ranking 47th in Division II with 14.0 offensive rebounds per game. The Blue Tigers, who have 257 offensive boards on the year, have scored 225 second chance points in 2018-19.

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:  Get your Blue Tiger jerseys, apparel, accessories, office supplies and much, much more at www.BlueTigersStore.com, the official online store of LU athletics. You can get everything you will need for basketball season, with a portion of all sales going directly to support all 12 LU athletic programs.

NEXT UP:  The Blue Tigers return home on Feb. 7 to host Missouri Western at 5:30 p.m. CST in a rematch of a road game earlier this season.