Complete Game Notes
Game #17: Lincoln (7-9, 4-3 MIAA) at Northeastern State (12-6, 5-4 MIAA)
Date: Thursday, Jan. 23, 2020
Time: 7:30 p.m. CST
Site: Tahlequah, Okla.
Live Stats: https://goriverhawksgo.com/sidearmstats/mbball/
Live Video: http://www.themiaanetwork.com/

Game #18: Lincoln at Rogers State (14-4, 6-3 MIAA)
Date: Saturday, Jan. 25, 2020
Time: 4:00 p.m. CST
Site: Claremore, Okla.
Live Stats: https://rsuhillcats.com/sidearmstats/mbball/
Live Video: http://www.themiaanetwork.com/

THE TIP OFF:  The Blue Tigers are back on the road this weekend, as the Lincoln men's basketball team heads to the Sooner State for a pair of MIAA games. Lincoln's first game in Oklahoma is against Northeastern State, with the teams meeting in Tahlequah on Thursday (Jan. 23) for a 7:30 p.m. CST contest. The Blue Tigers then travel to Claremore for their first-ever game against Rogers State, a program that joined the MIAA as an associate member this year. Lincoln has won four of its past six games and improved to 4-3 in MIAA play with an 85-84 home win over Pittsburg State on Saturday (Jan. 18). Northeastern State (12-6 overall, 5-4 MIAA) and Rogers State (14-4, 6-3 MIAA) each have winning records in league play, so this will be an important week as all three programs jockey for position in the league standings.

FAST BREAKS
- Lincoln and Northeastern State will meet for the 12th time on Thursday, with the RiverHawks holding a 6-5 lead in the all-time series.

- The Blue Tigers are 4-2 in their last six games against Northeastern State, but the RiverHawks won the last meeting, 80-72, in Jefferson City last season.

- The last times that Northeastern State and Lincoln met in Tahlequah, LU won, 77-66, in 2017-18.

- Saturday will be the first game between LU and RSU.

PREVIEWING THE BLUE TIGERS:  Three Blue Tigers are averaging at least 10 points per game, led by Jonell Burton, who poured in 40 against Harris-Stowe, with 15.0 per contest. Cameron Potts averages 12.3 points, 6.4 rebounds and 5.3 assists, and Marcel Burton is next on the scoring chart with 10.7 points. L'Kielynn Taylor leads the Blue Tigers with 7.7 rebounds per night.

HEAD COACH JOHN MOSELEY:  Now in his sixth season as the head coach of the Blue Tigers, Moseley has led LU to four-straight postseason appearances as well as four-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. The Blue Tigers have posted double-digit wins in each of the past four seasons.

LAST TIME OUT
Missouri Southern 77, Lincoln 63
Missouri Southern, ranked No. 10 in the NABC Division II poll, pulled away in the second half to beat the Blue Tigers in Jefferson City, 77-63, on Thursday (Jan. 16). Joe Davis led LU with 14 points and seven rebounds, and Marcel Burton added 12 points while Marcus Cohen scored 10.

Lincoln 85, Pittsburg State 84
Lincoln shot .557 from the floor as the Blue Tigers beat Pittsburg State, 85-84, in Jefferson City on Saturday (Jan. 18). Joe Davis led Lincoln with 20 points and four other Blue Tigers scored at least 10 points, including Cameron Potts, who added 12 points, nine assists and five rebounds. Lamont Ballard, Jr. chipped in 14 points and L'Kielynn Taylor grabbed nine rebounds.

SCOUTING THE RIVERHAWKS:  Aaron Givens leads a balanced group of rebounders with 6.7 per game as Northeastern State averages 35.2 boards per game compared to 31.7 by opponents. Caleb Smith (16.5 ppg.) and Kendrick Thompson (13.6 ppg.) are the team's leading scorers, with Thompson averaging 3.2 assists.

NSU HEAD COACH MARK DOWNEY:  With four NCAA Division II tournament appearances, 37 all-league players coached and over 230 wins, Downey has a long history of success as a college coach. Downey, who also has coached at West Alabama, Charleston and Arkansas Tech, is 19-8 in postseason games.

SCOUTING THE HILLCATS:  Four of Rogers State's five starters are averaging over 10 points per game, while the fifth, Jett Sternberger, tallies 9.3. Christopher Miller and Tavian Davis are each averaging 10.1 points, and Brewster Peacock, who leads the Hillcats with 5.7 rpg., averages 11.4 points. Marques Sumner leads RSU with 13.2 ppg.

RSU HEAD COACH JUSTIN BARKLEY:  The third head coach in Rogers State history, Barkley is now in his 10th year leading the team and has an all-time record of 197-92. Barkley has never had a losing record as the coach of the Hillcats, and has led the program to at least 16 wins in each of his first nine seasons. An Northeastern State alum who played on the 2003 NCAA DII Championship team, Barkley has directed the Hillcats through transitions from NAIA into NCAA DII and now into the MIAA.

HE SHOOTS, HE SCORES:  Jonell Burton, who is leading the Blue Tigers with 15.0 points per game, is currently ninth in the MIAA in scoring and 11th in total field goals made (81). Burton scored in double figures in each of the season's first five games, including 40 vs. Harris-Stowe, and has tallied at least 10 point in 11 of Lincoln's 16 contests in 2019-20.

ON THE GLASS:  L'Kielynn Taylor has led LU in rebounding for most of the season, pulling down five or more boards in 14 of LU's 16 games with double-digit performances against four teams. Taylor's 7.7 average is the third-best in the MIAA while his 123 total rebounds are the third-most by an MIAA player.

HOLD THE BALL:  LU has done a good job of taking care of the ball, finishing with more turnovers than opponents in just four games, with Lincoln possessing a 2-2 record in those contests. The Blue Tigers rank sixth in the MIAA and 65th in the country in fewest turnovers (207) while LU's +1.0 turnover margin ranks eighth in the league.

WORKING OVERTIME:  With an 88-84 win over Central Missouri, Lincoln improved to 2-1 in overtime games in 2019-20. The Blue Tigers, who beat Newman on the road and fell to Harris-Stowe at a neutral site in their other OT games of the year, are 7-5 in overtime contests under head coach John Moseley.

ROAD WARRIORS:  With just 10 home games in 2019-20, Lincoln's goal of making the postseason for a fifth-straight year will be decided by its play on the road. Starting this week, LU will play eight of the next 12 games on the road all of which will be against MIAA opponents. For the year, Lincoln is 2-3 in true road games.

FIELD TACTICS:  Ten Lincoln players are posting a field goal percentage of .400 or higher, with Joe Davis (.629), leading five Lincoln players making at least 50-percent of their shot attempts. As a team, LU is shooting .445 from the field while holding its opponents to .443 shooting, with Jonell Burton ranking 12th in the MIAA with a perentage of .438.

HE GIVETH AND HE TAKETH:  Cameron Potts leads LU in both assists and steals, and is among the MIAA leaders in both categories as well. Potts is fourth in the league with 5.3 assists per night, the 42nd-most in the country, and has dropped at least six dimes in eight games. Potts also averages 1.9 steals, the fourth-most in the MIAA.

REJECTIONS:  Lincoln has blocked 44 shots in 2019-20, with the 2.8 rejections per game rating 10th in the MIAA. Jonell Burton, a member of the MIAA All-Defensive team in 2018-19, leads the Blue Tigers with 17 rejections.

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 will be back in Jason Gym for their next two games, beginning next Wednesday (Jan. 29) when LU hosts Washburn at 7:30 p.m. CST.