JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - John Burton and Jonell Burton each scored 20 points and Ni'Sean Rigmaiden added 19 as the Lincoln men's basketball team won its fifth-straight game with a 96-85 victory over Pittsburg State on Thursday (Jan. 3).

John Burton made five treys as the Blue Tigers shot .407 from long range and .493 for the contest. Pittsburg State shot .457 from the floor, but just .227 from three-point land, as the Blue Tigers limited the Gorillas to just five treys on the evening. John Burton also had five rebounds while Jonell Burton finished with five boards, five assists, two blocks and a steal.

Lincoln (9-3, 2-1 MIAA) jumped out to an early 14-4 lead and made seven treys in the opening half to take a 46-33 lead at the break. LU led in double digits for most of the contest, but Pittsburg State (9-3, 2-1 MIAA) fought back to cut the lead down to seven with two minutes to play. The Blue Tigers shot .760 from the line for the game, however, and made their free throws down the stretch to secure the double-digit win.

Rigmaiden dished a game-high eight assists and finished with five boards and a steal, and Terrance Smith also scored in double figures, finishing with 16 points, four rebounds and a block. Amariontez Ivory added eight point and a pair of rebounds while Darrius Spencer provided two points, two boards and a pair of blocks.

Grant Olsson also grabbed five rebounds and finished with six points, an assist and a steal. L'Kielynn Taylor, meanwhile, led Lincoln with six rebounds and contributed five points, an assist and a pair of steals to the winning cause.

Lincoln will try to extend its winning streak to six on Saturday (Jan. 5) when the Blue Tigers host Missouri Southern at 3:00 p.m. CST.