Complete Game Notes
Game #15: Newman (2-12, 0-8 MIAA) at Lincoln (4-10, 0-8 MIAA)
Date: Thursday, Jan. 13, 2022
Time: 5:30 p.m. CST
Site: Jefferson City, Mo.
Live Stats: https://lubluetigers.com/sidearmstats/wbball/
Live Video: http://www.themiaanetwork.com/LUBlueTigers

Game #16: Central Oklahoma (10-5, 6-3 MIAA) at Lincoln
Date: Saturday, Jan. 15, 2022
Time: 1:00 p.m. CST
Site: Jefferson City, Mo.
Live Stats: https://lubluetigers.com/sidearmstats/wbball/
Live Video: http://www.themiaanetwork.com/LUBlueTigers

THE TIP OFF:  The Lincoln women's basketball team plays its final home games of January this week as LU hosts a pair of MIAA programs in Jason Gym. Up first for Lincoln is Newman, with the teams squaring off in Jefferson City on Thursday evening (Jan. 13) at 5:30 p.m. CST. That will be the only basketball game of the night in Jason Gym, as the Lincoln men's team's game against Newman has been postponed. On Saturday (Jan. 15), the Blue Tigers will host Central Oklahoma at 1:00 p.m. CST. Newman and Lincoln are each seeking their first MIAA victory of 2021-22. Central Oklahoma, meanwhile, is 10-5 overall and 6-3 in league play.

FAST BREAKS
- On Thursday, Lincoln and Newman will meet for the 11th time, with the Jets leading the series, 6-4.

- Lincoln and Newman's last meeting came in Jefferson City on Feb. 25, 2021. The Blue Tigers ended up winning a thriller, 60-58.

- The Blue Tigers and the Bronchos will play one another for the 13th time on Saturday, with Central Oklahoma leading the series, 10-2.

- Lincoln and Central Oklahoma last played each other on Jan. 16, 2021, with UCO winning, 93-71. LU won the first two meetings in the series, but Central Oklahoma has won each of the last 10 meetings.

PREVIEWING THE BLUE TIGERS:  Le'Yanna McGinnis leads Lincoln in scoring (9.8 ppg.) and Imani Jones is next with 7.8 ppg. while leading the Blue Tigers with 5.0 rebounds per contest. Niyah Jackson has dished a team-high 2.5 assists per game while averaging 7.3 points, and Ayreona Carter averages 7.6 points while Kelsey Mitchell and Hya Haywood each score 7.2 points per game.

HEAD COACH ANDREA MIZE:  Andrea Mize is in her second year as the head coach at Lincoln after a successful two-year run at Central Florida College. In 2019-20, Mize led CFC to a 19-win season that included a victory in the first round of the FCSAA playoffs. Mize previously was an assistant at Martin Methodist, helping the program reach the NAIA national tournament three times.

LAST TIME OUT
Emporia State 79, Lincoln 47
Emporia State scored 32 points in the first quarter and held on for a 79-47 win over the Blue Tigers on Jan. 1 in Jason Gym. Kylie Bernskoetter scored a team-high 15 points while Imani Jones finished with eight points and 12 rebounds. Ayreona Carter scored nine points, and Mercy Gonzalez finished with nine boards.

Nebraska Kearney 70, Lincoln 50
The Blue Tigers out-scored the Lopers, 22-17, in the third quarter to pull within 10, but Nebraska Kearney, ranked No. 9 in the Women's Basketball Coaches Association Division II poll, held off LU for a 70-50 win last Thursday (Jan. 6) in Nebraska. Niyah Jackson scored 11 points and both Kelsey Mitchell and Kylie Bernskoetter chipped in eight.

Fort Hays State 92, Lincoln 57
Ayreona Carter scored a team-high 23 points and Niyah Jackson scored 13, but the Blue Tigers fell to Fort Hays State, 92-57, in Hays, Kan. on Saturday (Jan. 8). Jackson also dished six assists, Carter had a team-high seven rebounds and Ashtin Ingram blocked three shots. FHSU entered the game rated No. 3 in the WBCA Division II poll.

SCOUTING THE JETS:  Tiffany Dortland leads Newman with 10.8 points per game, as NU scores an average of 57.9 points per contest. Next on the scoring chart is Britney Ho with 9.1 ppg., followed by Laura Bello (8.4). Faith Mason-Vestal leads Newman in rebounding (5.5) and averages 7.8 points per game.

NU HEAD COACH DREW JOHNSON:  In his first season coaching the Jets, Johnson has NU off to a 2-12 start. Johnson came to Newman after a four-year run as the head coach at Bethel, where Johnson coached nine all-conference players and three All-Americans while winning more than 60 games. A former high school coach, Johnson was a football player in college, earning all-league honors as a punter.

SCOUTING THE BRONCHOS:  Kelsey Johnson is one of the MIAA's most dominant players, as she averages close to a double-double with 20.1 points and 9.8 rebounds per game, as well as 1.5 assists. Alayzha Knapp is also averaging double digit points, with 10.3 per game, and Brooke Rayner, who is next with 7.9 points, averages a team-high 3.4 assists and 2.2 steals. As a team, UCO averages 72.4 points per contest.

UCO HEAD COACH GUY HARDAKER:  Over the past 15 seasons, Hardaker has led UCO to five NCAA Division II tournament appearances as well as five 20-win campaigns. In 2016-17, he guided Central Oklahoma to the championship game of the MIAA Tournament and an at-large berth in the NCAA tourney.

LINE THEM UP:  Due to various circumstances, including injuries and illness, Lincoln is still in search of its starting five for 2021-22. The Blue Tigers have used 12 different starting five combos this year, with only one group starting more than one game together (Haylie Holloway, Kelsey Mitchell, Imani Jones, Kylie Bernskoetter and Le'Yanna McGinnis). Mitchell has started the most games with 10 stints in the opening lineup.

TAKE IT AWAY:  The Blue Tigers have stolen the ball 126 times in 2021-22, and currently are 61st in Division II in total steals and fifth in the MIAA in both steals and steals per game. Lincoln is fourth in turnovers forced, as LU has created 17.8 takeaways per game. 12 different Blue Tigers have at least five steals on the year.

UP THE BLOCK:  Ashtin Ingram is in just her second year as a Blue Tiger, but she's already added her name to the record books. Ingram has blocked 57 shots over the past two seasons, placing her seventh all-time on LU's career block list. Ingram needs just eight more blocks to surpass Claire Jenkins (64 career rejections) for sixth on the all-time list.

OFF THE GLASS:  Lincoln once again has excelled on the offensive glass, as the Blue Tigers have secured 175 boards to rate third in the MIAA with an average of 12.5 offensive boards per game. The Blue Tigers led the MIAA in offensive rebounding last year with 12.6 offensive boards per contest. Imani Jones has collected 30 offensive rebounds on the year, the sixth-most by any MIAA player, while Le'Yanna McGinnis is second for LU with 22.

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 14 Lincoln home games will be broadcast through a 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:  The Blue Tigers head to Claremore, Okla. to play Rogers State on Thursday (Jan. 20) at 5:30 p.m. CST.