Complete Game Notes
Game #19: Missouri Southern (14-7, 10-5 MIAA) at Lincoln (13-5, 9-5 MIAA)
Date: Thursday, Feb. 2, 2023
Time: 7:30 p.m. CST
Site: Jefferson City, Mo.
Live Stats: https://lubluetigers.com/sidearmstats/mbball
Live Video: https://themiaanetwork.com/lubluetigers/
 
Game #20: Pittsburg State (6-15, 3-12 MIAA) at Lincoln
Date: Saturday, Feb. 4, 2023
Time: 3:00 p.m. CST
Site: Jefferson City, Mo.
Live Stats: https://lubluetigers.com/sidearmstats/mbball
Live Video: https://themiaanetwork.com/lubluetigers/
 
THE TIP OFF:  The Lincoln men's basketball team, which has won each of its past three road games, plays two more times in Jason Gym this week as the Blue Tigers host a pair of rematches. On Thursday (Feb. 2), Lincoln welcomes Missouri Southern for a 7:30 p.m. CST game. This will be the second time in that last three games that LU will play MSSU, as Lincoln beat Missouri Southern, 84-82, in Joplin, Mo. on Jan. 23. On Saturday (Feb. 4), the Blue Tigers play Pittsburg State at 3:00 p.m. CST. LU fell to the Gorillas, 66-54, in Pittsburg, Kan. on Nov. 28. On Saturday, Lincoln will play in its annual Coaches vs. Cancer/Think Pink Game.
 
FAST BREAKS
- The Blue Tigers and Missouri Southern will meet for the 47th time on Thursday, with MSSU leading the all-time series, 33-13.
 
- Lincoln, which beat the Lions, 84-82, on Jan. 23, will try to sweep the season series against Missouri Southern for the first time since 1995-96.
 
- This is the 46th meeting between Lincoln and Pittsburg State, with the Gorillas leading the series, 34-11.
 
- Pittsburg State beat Lincoln, 66-54, in the season's first meeting between the teams on Nov. 28. LU defeated the Gorillas, 98-87, in Jefferson City last year, and has won seven-straight games in Jason Gym against PSU.
 
PREVIEWING THE BLUE TIGERS:  Lincoln has three prolific scorers in Artese Stapleton (17.6 ppg., 4.6 rpg., 3.4 apg.), Sai Witt (14.7 ppg., 7.8 rpg.) and Kevin Kone (13.4 ppg.), with Kone additionally leading LU in rebounds with a 12.9 average. Lincoln is out-scoring opponents, 70.4-62.6, and out-rebounding its foes, 40.4-31.1. Franck Yetna is averaging 4.1 boards while DJ Richardson is tallying 7.8 points per night.
 
HEAD COACH JIMMY DREW:  In his first year as the head coach at Lincoln, Drew came to LU following a six-year run on the staff at Division I Central Florida. Drew helped lead UCF to a pair of 20-win seasons and a berth in the second round of the NCAA tournament, and he coached three players who went on to play in the NBA.
 
LAST TIME OUT:  Kevin Kone totaled 14 points, 18 rebounds and six blocks to help Lincoln beat Central Missouri, 57-49, last Saturday (Jan. 28). Sai Witt added 12 points while Artese Stapleton and DJ Richardson each scored 11. UCM led by one at halftime, but LU held the Mules to .294 shooting in the second half while Lincoln shot .400 over the final 20 minutes.
 
SCOUTING THE LIONS:  Missouri Southern is averaging 74.0 points per night while allowing 66.8, with Vinson Sigmon, Jr. leading the team with 12.8 points per game. Avery Taggart adds 11.5 points per contest while also averaging 3.7 assists, and Winston Dessesow averages 12.5 points. Parker Long, who is averaging 2.9 assists, averages 7.9 points while Christian Bundy tallies 10.0 points and 6.9 rebounds per contest.
 
MSSU HEAD COACH SAM McMAHON:  In his first year leading the Lions, McMahon has MSSU off to a 14-7 start overall and a 10-5 record in the MIAA. A Jefferson City native, McMahon was the assistant coach at Missouri Southern for six years before joining the staff at Division I Southeast Missouri State. He also experience working at Central Methodist and Missouri State.
 
SCOUTING THE GORILLAS:  Deshaun English II is averaging a double-double with 13.9 points and 10.0 rebounds per game, and he also dishes 1.3 assists, notches 1.2 steals and blocks 1.3 shots per contest. Quentin Hardrict leads Pittsburg State with 4.9 assists per night, and averages 13.6 points while Albert McBride is next in scoring with 9.0 points per game.
 
PSU HEAD COACH JEFF BOSCHEE:  The first-year head coach of Pittsburg State is no stranger to the MIAA, as Boschee spent eight seasons as the head coach at Missouri Southern, compiling a 151-86 record. Boschee, who is 6-15 at Pittsburg State, led the Lions to four 20-win seasons and three-consecutive trips to the NCAA Division II tournament between 2017-18 and 2019-20. He was a four-year starter as a player at Kansas from 1998-2002.
 
SAI ANYTHING:  Since joining the lineup on Dec. 19, Sai Witt has given Lincoln a huge spark in every aspect of the game. Witt is averaging 14.7 points, the second-most on the team, as well as 7.8 rebounds, the second-most on the squad. Witt has also dished 14 assists, recorded nine steals and blocked eight shots while shooting .463 from the field.
 
DEFENDING DIVISION II:  The Blue Tigers boast one of the top defenses in NCAA Division II, ranking 15th out of 290 teams with just 62.6 points allowed per game. That has helped LU post a scoring margin of +7.8 that ranks 54th in the country. Meanwhile, Lincoln's .412 field goal defense is 37th in Division II.
 
TOP OF THE GLASS:  Lincoln continues to be one of the best rebounding teams in the country, averaging 40.4 per night, the most in the MIAA and 15th-most in Division II. LU ranks eighth nationally in rebound margin (+9.3); is 12th in the nation in offensive rebounding average (13.7); and Lincoln is third in the MIAA in defensive boards with 26.8 per game.
 
THE ART OF SCORING:  Artese Stapleton enters the week as the MIAA's second-leading scorer with 17.6 points per game, and he has scored at least 11 points in every game he's played. Stapleton, who has three 20-point games, had a 27-point, 10-assist day in the victory over Calvary. His scoring average is also the 78th-best in NCAA Division II this season.
 
LEADING THE NATION:  Kevin Kone has proven to be the country's top rebounder, as he continues to lead NCAA Division II in rebounds per game with 12.9 per night. He is also leading Division II in offensive rebounds per contest (4.9), while his 220 total rebounds are the third-most by a Division II player this season. Kone's 8.0 defensive boards per game rate fifth in the country.
 
DOUBLE TIME:  In addition to leading the country on the glass, Kevin Kone is also a proficient scorer, averaging 13.4 points per contest, the 18th-best average in the MIAA and the third-best among the Blue Tigers. Kone, who had a 21-point, 18-rebound night against Missouri Southern, has 10 double-doubles on the season, the most by an MIAA player and the fifth-most in Division II.
 
HOT IN JANUARY:  The Blue Tigers went 6-3 in January, ending the month by winning six of their last seven games. LU has won three-straight home games and is seeking a four-win home streak for the first time since 2018-19.
 
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 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 travels to Hays, Kan. to play Fort Hays State on Thursday (Feb. 9) in a 7:30 p.m. CST contest.