Complete Game Notes
Game #9: Lincoln (1-7, 0-3 MIAA) at Pittsburg State (2-8, 1-3 MIAA)
Date: Wednesday, Dec. 15, 2021
Time: 7:30 p.m. CST
Site: Pittsburg, Kan.
Live Stats: https://pittstategorillas.com/sidearmstats/mbball/
Live Video: http://www.themiaanetwork.com/LUBlueTigers
Live Audio: https://mixlr.com/lincoln-blue-tigers

Game #10: Lincoln at Missouri Southern (6-3, 3-0 MIAA)
Date: Saturday, Dec. 18, 2021
Time: 3:30 p.m. CST
Site: Joplin, Mo.
Live Stats: https://mssulions.com/sidearmstats/mbball/
Live Video: http://www.themiaanetwork.com/LUBlueTigers
Live Audio: https://mixlr.com/lincoln-blue-tigers

THE TIP OFF:  The Lincoln men's basketball team plays its final games of 2021 this week, as the Blue Tigers play a pair of road contests against MIAA opponents. Up first is Pittsburg State, with the Blue Tigers visiting Pittsburg, Kan. on Wednesday (Dec. 15) for a 7:30 p.m. CST game. On Saturday (Dec. 18), Lincoln heads to Joplin, Mo. to take on Missouri Southern at 3:30 p.m. CST in the final game of the calendar year. The Blue Tigers played a pair of home games last week, with Missouri Western edging LU, 78-76, on Thursday (Dec. 9) and Northwest Missouri beating Lincoln, 84-54, on Saturday (Dec. 11). Pittsburg State is 2-8 overall entering the week while Missouri Southern is 6-3.

FAST BREAKS
- This is the 43rd meeting between Lincoln and Pittsburg State, with the Gorillas leading the series, 32-10.

- Pittsburg State and Lincoln split the season series last year. The Blue Tigers beat the Gorillas in Jefferson City, 76-55. In the rematch in Pittsburg, the Gorillas won in overtime, 85-77.

- The Blue Tigers and the Lions meet for the 44th time this weekend. Missouri Southern leads the series, 31-12.

- Lincoln beat Missouri Southern in Jefferson City, 76-68, in 2020-21, but dropped the rematch in Joplin by a final score of 72-66.

PREVIEWING THE BLUE TIGERS:  Four Blue Tigers are averaging at least nine points per game, led by Chuck Wilson, who averages 10.5 points, 4.8 rebounds and 2.0 assists. Ni'Sean Rigmaiden is averaging 9.5 points, 3.4 boards and 3.3 assists, and Derrick Woods averages 4.8 rebounds per contest as well as 9.3 points per game. Tre'Vion Crawford is averaging 10.0 points while Destan Williams is averaging a team-high 3.6 assists, 7.8 points, 2.9 boards and 1.4 steals.

HEAD COACH ED WILSON:  Last spring, Ed Wilson was elevated to the position of interim head coach after serving as Lincoln's assistant coach the previous seven seasons. In that span, Wilson helped lead Lincoln to six postseason berths, including a trip to the semifinals of the 2019 MIAA Championship. Wilson has coached 16 Blue Tigers to some form of All-MIAA honor.

LAST TIME OUT
Missouri Western 78, Lincoln 76
Lincoln trailed by eight at halftime, but rallied back to tie the game at 59 with 10 minutes to play. After the Griffons went back up by 10, LU went on another run late, pulling to within two on a free throw by Tre'Vion Crawford. Lincoln had a chance to tie the game in the final seconds, but a final shot ricocheted off the rim as MWSU escaped with a 78-76 win last Thursday (Dec. 9). Chuck Wilson led four Blue Tigers in double digits with 16 points, Ni'Sean Rigmaiden matched Crawford with 13 points, and Chris Baldwin had a double-double with 11 points and 16 rebounds. Josh Wallace added eight points and six boards.

Northwest Missouri 84, Lincoln 54
Chuck Wilson led Lincoln with 11 points while Derrick Woods tallied nine points and six boards, but the Blue Tigers fell to Northwest Missour, 84-54, on Saturday (Dec. 11). The defending national champions shot .518 from the field while Lincoln was held to .352 shooting overall. Josh Wallace had eight points and Tre'Vion Crawford scored seven while Ni'Sean Rigmaiden had five assists.

SCOUTING THE GORILLAS:  Iziah James leads Pittsburg State with 12.2 points and 2.2 assists while Cameron Huefner is averaging 10.0 points and 5.5 rebounds. Antonio Givens II is leading PSU in rebounding with 5.6 per night, and Zach Burch leads the program with 1.1 blocks. Tyler Hawkins (8.2 ppg.) and Quentin Hardrict (8.0 ppg.) are PSU's next-leading scorers.

PSU HEAD COACH KIM ANDERSON:  In five seasons at Pittsburg State, Anderson is 58-64 and has taken the Gorillas to three berths in the MIAA tournament. Anderson, who coached at his alma mater, the University of Missouri, for three seasons prior to taking over at Pittsburg State, coached Central Missouri to the 2014 NCAA Divsion II championship as well as seven seasons with 20 or more victories.

SCOUTING THE LIONS:  Missouri Southern is 6-3 on the year, but averages 76.7 points per game while allowing 77.7. RJ Smith is averaging 20.5, 9.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists, and has a pair of double-doubles this year. Winston Dessesow is averaging 15.2 points while Stan Scott is next with 14.8 points and team-highs in assists (2.8) and steals (2.8). Scott is also averaging 7.9 boards while Christian Bundy is tallying 6.4 rebounds and 10.8 points.

MSSU HEAD COACH JEFF BOSCHEE:  In his eighth season as the head coach of the Lions, and his 12th season with the progam overall, Boschee has led Missouri Southern to five DII tourney appearances. Boschee has led the Lions to four 20-win seasons and has guided the team to the postseason every year.

HELPING HANDS:  The Blue Tigers are doing a good job moving the ball, as Lincoln ranks sixth in the MIAA in assists with 13.5 per contest. LU is led in this category by Destan Williams, who is averaging 3.6 assists, the eighth-most in the league. Ni'Sean Rigmaiden is 10th in the league with 3.2 assists per contest.

DESTANY:  Destan Williams has done a bit of everything for the Blue Tigers, including scoring 7.8 points per game. Williams averages 3.6 assists, the eighth-most by any MIAA player, and he is also 13th in the league with 1.4 steals per contest. Williams averages 2.9 rebounds, with his 20 defensive boards rating fourth among the Blue Tigers, and his 1.7 assist-to-turnover ratio is ninth in the MIAA.

FROM DOWNTOWN:  Lincoln is shooting .365 from three-point range this season, the sixth-best percentage in the MIAA and the 89th-best in NCAA Division II. Ni'Sean Rigmaiden leads the Blue Tigers with a .538 accuracy rate, and is second on the team with 14 made treys on the year. Chuck Wilson leads Lincoln with 17 made three-pointers, and Mark Boland is next with 11 while Tre'Vion Crawford is shooting .400 from beyond the arc.

LU IN THE MIAA:  The Blue Tigers rank highly in the league in several statistics, including rating second in the MIAA with 10.1 offensive rebounds per game. Lincoln also is sixth in three-point percentage (.365), fifth in fewest fouls (132), and LU is sixth in assists per game (13.5) and seventh in rebounds per contest (35.5).

GET YOUR TICKETS:  Lincoln is partnering with Hometown Ticketing once again to sell tickets to all of LU's basketball games online in 2021-22. For more information, visit www.LUBlueTigers.com/Tickets.

JOIN THE CLUB:  The Blue Tiger Athletics Club is a great way to engage with other LU fans while supporting Lincoln student-athletes. Every dollar raised by the club goes towards scholarships, improving facilities and purchasing equipment. To join the BTAC, or to learn more, 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 12 LU 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 will be off for the holiday break until Saturday, Jan. 1, when Emporia State visits Jason Gym for a 3:00 p.m. CST contest.