Complete Game Notes
Game #23: Washburn (10-11, 8-7 MIAA) at Lincoln (5-17, 1-15 MIAA)
Date: Thursday, Feb. 10, 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 #24: Lincoln at Emporia State (11-11, 6-10 MIAA)
Date: Saturday, Feb. 12, 2022
Time: 1:30 p.m. CST
Site: Emporia, Kan.
Live Stats: https://esuhornets.com/sidearmstats/wbball
Live Video: http://www.themiaanetwork.com/LUBlueTigers

THE TIP OFF:  The Lincoln women's basketball team has two great tests this week as the Blue Tigers play both at home and away against a pair of MIAA programs from the Sunflower State. Up first is Washburn, as Lincoln hosts the Ichabods on Thursday evening (Feb. 10) at 5:30 p.m. CST. Washburn enters the game having lost two of its last three games, including dropping a heart-breaker on the road to Rogers State, 55-54, on Monday (Feb. 7). The Blue Tigers then travel to Emporia, Kan. to take on Emporia State on Saturday (Feb. 12) at 1:30 p.m. CST. The Lady Hornets have dropped their past two games, most recently falling at home to Northwest Missouri on Tuesday (Feb. 8) by a score of 70-54. LU is also coming off a loss, as the Blue Tigers dropped a 77-48 decision to Missouri Southern at home on Monday.

FAST BREAKS
- Thursday marks the 32nd meeting between Washburn and Lincoln. A win would be the first for Lincoln over the Ichabods in program history.

- The Blue Tigers and the Lady Hornets will meet for the 35th time on Saturday, with Emporia State leading the all-time series, 31-2.

- Emporia State has won 22-straight games in the series, with Lincoln's last victory being a 65-61 road win over the Lady Hornets in 1993-94. The teams met in Jefferson City on Jan. 1, 2022, with ESU winning, 79-47.

PREVIEWING THE BLUE TIGERS:  Le'Yanna McGinnis leads Lincoln in scoring (9.1 ppg.) and Niyah Jackson, who leads the Blue Tigers with 2.5 assists per contest, is next on the scoring chart with 8.0 ppg. Ashtin Ingram has blocked 16 shots this year, while AJ Bradley leads Lincoln with 26 steals. Kelsey Mitchell averages 7.7 points while Imani Jones, who averages a team-high 4.7 rebounds, is scoring 7.1 points per night.

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 year 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
Pittsburg State 75, Lincoln 55
Niyah Jackson led Lincoln with 14 points and dished three assists while Kylie Bernskoetter added 12 points as the Blue Tigers fell to Pittsburg State, 75-55, on Saturday afternoon (Feb. 5). Imani Jones chipped in seven points, Le'Yanna McGinnis had a team-high seven rebounds, Mercy Gonzalez recorded four steals and Kelsey Mitchell scored five points.

Missouri Southern 77, Lincoln 48
Missouri Southern out-scored the Blue Tigers by 13 in the second quarter en route to a 77-48 win over Lincoln on Monday night (Feb. 7). Imani Jones and Le'Yanna McGinnis each collected six rebounds while Kelsey Mitchell led LU with nine points.

SCOUTING THE ICHABODS:  Hunter Bentley is leading Washburn in scoring (13.9 ppg.), assists (2.6 apg.) and steals (1.1 spg.) and is third on the team with 4.5 rebounds per night. Abby Oliver is next on the scoring list with 8.4 points per game, and Nuria Barrientos leads WU with 5.1 boards per game.

WU HEAD COACH RON McHENRY:  In his 22 seasons leading the Ichabods, McHenry has won over 450 games, including the 2004-05 Division II National Championship. McHenry has won eight MIAA regular season and seven tournament titles, winning more than 200 conference games in the process. McHenry previously served on the WU men's coaching staff for 11 seasons.

SCOUTING THE LADY HORNETS:  Four ESU players are averaging more than 10 points per game, led by Tre'Zure Jobe, who tallies 17.0 points, 3.1 assists and 2.2 steals per contest. Next on the scoring chart is Ehlaina Hartman with 12.1 points and 5.6 rebounds, the second-most on the team. Karsen Schultz leads the Lady Hornets with 5.7 rebounds per game while scoring 10.2 points, and Victoria Price is averaging 10.6 points and 1.9 steals.

ESU HEAD COACH TOBY WYNN:  In his first year with the Lady Hornets in 2018-19, Wynn led the program to 22 wins and an appearance in the NCAA tournament. Wynn, who averaged more than 20 wins in 13 seasons at Seward Community College, coached both an All-American and the MIAA Defensive Player of the Year during that first season.

DENIED:  The Blue Tigers have blocked 75 shots this season, sixth-most in the MIAA and the 62nd-most in NCAA Division II. That averages out to 3.4 rejections per contest, the fifth-most in the league and the 77th-most in the country. The Blue Tigers are led by Ashtin Ingram with 16 blocks, while Mercy Gonzalez and Ayreona Carter each have 11 rejections.

HOME SWEET HOME:  The Blue Tigers will get to enjoy plenty of home cooking in February, as Lincoln plays seven of its final nine games of the regular season in Jason Gym. LU is in the midst of a three-game homestand, having played last Saturday and Monday, and will be back at home for three of its remaining four contests.

TAKE IT AWAY:  The Blue Tigers have stolen the ball 182 times in 2021-22, and currently are 84th in Division II in total steals and sixth in the MIAA in both total steals and steals per game (8.3). Lincoln is also fifth in turnovers forced, as LU has created 16.3 takeaways per game. Eight Blue Tigers have at least 13 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 60 shots over the past two seasons, placing her seventh all-time on LU's career block list. Ingram needs just five 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 250 boards to rate fourth in the MIAA with 11.4 offensive boards per game. Lincoln led the MIAA in offensive rebounding last year with 12.6 offensive boards per contest. Imani Jones has collected 47 offensive rebounds on the year, which is the eighth-most by any MIAA player, while Le'Yanna McGinnis is second for LU with 25.

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:  Lincoln plays two more home games next week, including on Thursday (Feb. 17) when LU hosts Fort Hays State at 5:30 p.m. CST.