Complete Game Notes
Game #15: Lincoln (3-11, 1-7 MIAA) at Rogers State (4-11, 2-7 MIAA)
Date: Thursday, Jan. 12, 2023
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: Northeastern State (5-8, 2-7 MIAA) at Lincoln
Date: Saturday, Jan. 14, 2023
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:  Two more MIAA opponents await the Lincoln women's basketball team this week as the Blue Tigers return to Jason Gym for a pair of contests. Lincoln first hosts Rogers State on Thursday (Jan. 12) at 5:30 p.m. CST. The Hillcats enter the week having lost three of their last four games, with the lone win coming in double overtime last Thursday (Jan. 5). On Saturday (Jan. 14), the Blue Tigers host Northeastern State at 1:00 p.m. CST. The RiverHawks are 1-7 in their last eight games. LU is coming off a split on the road, beginning with an 85-81 win over Emporia State on Thursday. Lincoln played at Washburn on Saturday, falling by a final score of 73-59.

FAST BREAKS
- Lincoln and Rogers State will meet for just the fourth time on Thursday. The Blue Tigers and the Hillcats have played every season since RSU joined the MIAA in 2019, and Rogers State has won each previous meeting.

- LU and NSU meet for the 12th time on Saturday, with the RiverHawks leading the series, 7-4.

- Northeastern State has won five-straight in the series, with the last Lincoln victory coming inside Jason Gym in 2016-17. LU beat NSU, 66-62, that season.

- Lincoln's win over Emporia State last Thursday ended a 23-game winning streak in the series for ESU and was LU's first win over the Lady Hornets since 1993-94.

PREVIEWING THE BLUE TIGERS:  Lincoln is led by Le'Yanna McGinnis, who is averaging 14.6 points and 6.4 rebounds per contest. Next on the scoring list is Kelsey Mitchell, who is shooting .357 from the floor while averaging 8.9 points. Saniya Simmons (3.7 assists per game) and Niyah Jackson (2.9 apg.) are leading Lincoln in assists, & Ashlyn Alloway averages 7.4 points.

HEAD COACH ANDREA MIZE:  Andrea Mize is in her third 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
Lincoln 85, Emporia State 81
Lincoln enjoyed one of best offensive nights of the season en route to an 85-81 win over Emporia State on the road on Thursday night (Jan. 5). LU shot .524 from the field, including .667 in the fourth as LU put away the Lady Hornets. Kelsey Mitchell and Niyah Jackson each scored 17 points, Miriam Bazylewicz had 11 points and 10 rebounds, and Ashlyn Alloway added 16 points. Bazylewicz also dished seven assists.

Washburn 73, Lincoln 59
AJ Bradley, Saniya Simmons and Aliyah Bello each scored 10 points, but the Blue Tigers dropped a 73-59 decision at Washburn on Saturday (Jan. 7). LU was led by Le'Yanna McGinnis with 15 points.

SCOUTING THE HILLCATS:  Three RSU players are averaging at least eight points per game, led by Bailey Kliewer, who is scoring 12.5 points while grabbing 5.3 rebounds per contest. Jordan Lewis is averaging 10.3 points, followed by Kaya Goldsby, who is scoring 8.1 points and dishing a team-high 3.5 assists per game. Trinity Jackson is leading the Hillcats in rebounding (6.3 rpg.), and Kamryn Estell is shooting .446 from the floor.

RSU HEAD COACH KYLE BENT:  In his first year leading the Hillcats, Bent coached the team to a 14-14 overall record and the No. 4 seed in the Heartland Conference tournament in 2018-19. Bent spent the previous four seasons as the head coach at Martin Methodist, recording 95 wins and four berths in the NAIA tournament. As the head coach at Rogers State, Bent has a five-year record of 39-82.

SCOUTING THE RIVERHAWKS:  Courtney Lee leads Northeastern State in both scoring (13.7 ppg.) and rebounding (7.2 rpg.), and also has 17 steals and 11 blocks on the season. Also scoring in double figures is Ashton Hackler (12.8 ppg.), while Jaylee Kindred (8.5 ppg.) and Tess Talo Tomokino (7.3 ppg., 2.7 apg.) are also averaging over six points per night.

NSU HEAD COACH FALA SUIAUNOA:  An NSU alumna, Suiaunoa took over as the head coach of the RiverHawks in 2017 after serving as the head coach at Armstrong State, where she won 60 games. Suiaunoa began her coaching career as an assistant at Northeastern State, and spent two seasons as the head coach of Central Georgia. As the leader of the RiverHawks, she has won 39 games in six seasons.

SHOOTING STAR:  Le'Yanna McGinnis shoots .552 from the field, which, entering the weekend, ranks as the third-best percentage in the MIAA and the 24th-best in NCAA Division II. Her 14.6 points per game are the 10th-most in the league this season, and she also rates 10th in the MIAA with 46 made free throws.

IT'S A STEAL:  Saniya Simmons, who is 13th in the MIAA in assists with 3.7 per game, has been an even better thief, as she leads Lincoln with 37 steals this season. That total ranks sixth in the MIAA, and that averages to 2.6 per night, the fifth-best average in the league. On the national level, Simmons is 35th in DII in steals per game and 37th in total steals.

KELSEY FOR THREE:  Kelsey Mitchell has been one of the MIAA's top shooters from beyond the arc, as her .373 shooting percentage from three-point range ranks fifth in the league. Mitchell, who is 78th nationally in three-point percentage, is making 2.2 treys per game, also the fifth-best in the league. Mitchell additionally is sixth in the MIAA with 31 total made three-pointers.

TO THE LINE:  After finishing 13th in the MIAA in free throw percentage in 2021-22, Lincoln has improved its work at the line, shooting .718 this season. Lincoln has five players shooting .700 or better at the charity stripe, with Mercy Gonzalez a perfect 1.000. LU's percentage is the sixth-highest in the MIAA this year, while Lincoln's average of 12.0 free throws per game is seventh.

TOP-FIVE:  AJ Bradley has excelled at getting to the line, as, in three years at Lincoln, she has attempted 295 free throws. Bradley has made 200 of those attempts and has moved into fifth place all-time in program history in total career made free throws. She passed Hunter Yoakum (2013-17), who made 197, and is 45 away from passing Shara Tauai (2001-04) for fourth all-time.

GET YOUR TICKETS:  Lincoln is partnering with Hometown Ticketing once again to sell tickets to all of LU's basketball games online in 2022-23. 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 13 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:  LU is on the road for its next three games, starting on Thursday, Jan. 19, with a 5:30 p.m. CST game at Missouri Western.