Complete Game Notes | Game Day Policy
Game #1: Missouri Southern (0-2, 0-2 MIAA) at Lincoln (0-0, 0-0 MIAA)
Date: Saturday, Nov. 28, 2020
Time: 1:00 p.m. CST
Site: Jason Gym (1,538) in Jefferson City, Mo.
Tickets: Available on a Limited Basis at http://www.lubluetigers.com/tickets
Live Video: http://www.themiaanetwork.com/
Live Stats: https://lubluetigers.com/sidearmstats/wbball/

THE TIP OFF:  It's a new era for the Lincoln women's basketball team as the Blue Tigers tip off the season at home vs. Missouri Southern on Saturday (Nov. 28) at 1:00 p.m. CST. It will be the debut of new LU head coach Andrea Mize, who takes over Lincoln after winning 31 games in two seasons at Central Florida College. The first test for the Blue Tigers is Missouri Southern, a program that is 0-2 on the season heading into a road game vs. Central Missouri on Tuesday evening (Nov. 24). MSSU dropped its season opener, 75-74, to Central Oklahoma, and fell in its second game, 55-51, with both games being played on the road. Lincoln was originally supposed to play its first game of 2020-21 over the weekend, but the game ended up being postponed to Dec. 12.

FAST BREAKS
- On Saturday, Lincoln and Missouri Southern will meet for the 36th time. The Lions lead the all-time series, 32-3.

- Lincoln is playing for its first win over MSSU since 2011-12, when LU swept the season series with a 67-66 victory on the road and a 66-61 win in Jason Gym.

- The Blue Tigers last won their season opener in 2018-19 as LU picked up a neutral site victory over Southern Arkansas. The last time LU won a season opener at home was in 2010-11, when Lincoln beat Rockhurst, 59-57.

- Lincoln has won its home opener in each of the past two seasons.

PREVIEWING THE BLUE TIGERS:  Lincoln has three returners from last season, led by Vivian Chigbu, who averaged 10.3 points and 7.8 rebounds in 2019-20. Virja Lewis, who started 10 games and averaged 5.6 points and 3.8 boards, joins Natasha Dolinsky (6.6 ppg.) as the other returners..

HEAD COACH ANDREA MIZE:  Andrea Mize is in her first year as the head coach at Lincoln after a successful two-year run at Central Florida College. In her first season with the Patriots, Mize led CFC to a four-win improvement and a slot in the Mid-Florida Conference Playoffs. In 2019-20, Mize led CFC to a 19-win season, including a victory in the first round of the playoffs. A graduate of Indiana, Mize previously served as an assistant coach at Martin Methodist, helping the program reach the NAIA national tournament three times.

SCOUTING THE LIONS:  Three MSSU players averaged double figure points through the first two games, as Kaitlyn Hunnicutt and Carley Turnbull each have 24 points on the year (12.0 ppg.) while Amaya Johns is next with a 10.0 average. Madi Stokes leads the team with 9.5 boards per night.

MSSU HEAD COACH RONNIE RESSEL:  An alum of MSSU, Ressel was promoted to head coach in 2016 after spending the previous three years as an assistant with the program. Ressel helped the Lions average 19 wins as an assistant and has won 47 games as the head coach. Before he began his tenure with the women's team, he served as an assistant with the MSSU men's team.

ALL-MIAA, ALL-YEAR:  For the first time in team history, Lincoln will play a schedule that comprises entirely of MIAA opponents. LU will play 22 league games, its most in a season since 2010-11, with 11 home contests and 11 on the road. This will mark the first time Lincoln has opened a year against a current MIAA opponent since 2005-06, when LU opened at home vs. Central Missouri.

HOME AND AWAY:  Lincoln will play 22 games this season, including 11 at Jason Gym. More than half of those home contests will take place in the month of January, when LU has just two contests on the road compared to six inside Jason Gym. December and February are another matter, as Lincoln is home for only four of the 14 contests scheduled in those months.

DOUBLE THE FUN:  Last year, Vivian Chigbu reached double digits in scoring & rebounding in seven games in 2019-20 and averaged 10.3 points and 7.8 rebounds per game. Chigbu, who twice has eclipsed 20 points in a game, grabbed at least 10 rebounds in six of the first eight games and pulled down at least five boards in 21 games. She tied for fifth in the MIAA in rebounding average, and ended the year with the second-most double-doubles of any league player.

...AND ONE:  Virja Lewis also recorded a double-double last season, as she grabbed 10 rebounds and scored 24 points against Rogers State. Lewis, who also had a 10-rebound night vs. Washburn, had 10 points and eight boards against Central Missouri. Lewis ended the season averaging 5.6 points, and poured in 16 against Pittsburg State.

DOLING THE ASSISTS:  Natasha Dolinsky dished 57 assists in 2019-20, the second-most of any Blue Tiger. Dolinsky had 15 multiple assist performances, including doling out a season-high seven in LU's victory over MacMurray. She also had a six-assist performance vs. Emporia State and had seven other games where she dished at least three assists. Beyond the assists, Dolinsky also finished third on the team with 35 steals.

IT STARTS AT HOME:  On Saturday, Lincoln will open a season on its home court for the first time since 2012-13, when the Blue Tigers opened their campaign against William Woods in Jason Gym. This will be the first time LU will begin a season with a conference game against an MIAA opponent, and the first time Lincoln will play an MIAA team in its season opener since hosting Central Missouri to begin the 2005-06 campaign.

EXHIBITION SEASON:  Lincoln will have one exhibition game in 2020-21, and it will give the Blue Tigers a chance to test themselves against an NCAA Division I opponent. LU will travel to Springfield, Mo. on Monday, Dec. 7 to take on Missouri State in a 7:00 p.m. CST contest.

CENTRAL FLORIDA CONNECTION:  Four Blue Tigers bring a familiarity with Coach Mize with them to Lincoln, as they played for the new LU coach at Central Florida College. Haylie Holloway, Deija Jackson, Niyah Jackson and Ashtin Ingram join the Blue Tigers after helping the Patriots win 19 games in 2019-20.

THAT'S NEW:  With just three returners from a year ago, the 2020-21 Lincoln women's basketball team will feature many new faces. Ten players, including five freshmen and sophomores, will take the court in Jason Gym for the first time this season. A brand new coaching staff consisting of Andrea Mize, Rob McDonald, Brittany Byrd and Nafeesa Fajri will lead the Blue Tigers in 2020-21.

OFF THE GLASS:  LU led the MIAA in one statistic last year: offensive rebounds. The Blue Tigers averaged 14.1 offensive boards per game, led by Vivian Chigbu (3.4).

GOING DIGITAL:  Lincoln is partnering with Hometown Ticketing to sell all tickets to LU basketball games online in 2020-21. There will be no on-site ticket sales, as fans will either need to pull up their ticket on their phone or print them off in advance to be scanned at the gate. Due to MIAA regulations, tickets to Blue Tiger games will be sold on a limited basis, and members of the Blue Tiger Athletics Club will be given priority. For more information, visit www.LUBlueTigers.com/Tickets.

JOIN THE CLUB:  Members who joined the Blue Tiger Athletics Club at the Coaches level of above will have the first opportunity to purchase tickets in 2020-21. Members at the Blue Tiger level will have the next chance. To join the BTAC, or to learn more about the club, please visit www.LUBlueTigers.com/BTAC.

WATCH LIVE:  Fans who are unable to attend a game in person will still be able to cheer on the Blue Tigers to victory via The MIAA Network. All 11 Lincoln home games will be broadcast through a new multi-camera system and can be seen at www.TheMIAANetwork.com/LUBlueTigers.

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:  Lincoln travels to St. Joseph, Mo. on Thursday (Dec. 3) to play Missouri Western at 5:30 p.m. CST.