Complete Game Notes | Game Day Policies
Game #11: Pittsburg State (6-4, 2-2 MIAA) at Lincoln (8-2, 3-1 MIAA)
Date: Saturday, Dec. 30, 2023
Time: 3:00 p.m. CST
Site: Jefferson City, Mo.
Live Stats: https://lubluetigers.com/sidearmstats/mbball/
Live Video: http://www.themiaanetwork.com/LUBlueTigers

Game #12: Lincoln at Nebraska Kearney (5-5, 2-3 MIAA)
Date: Thursday, Jan. 4, 2024
Time: 7:30 p.m. CST
Site: Kearney, Neb.
Live Stats: https://lopers.com/sidearmstats/mbball
Live Video: http://www.themiaanetwork.com/LUBlueTigers

Game #13: Lincoln at Fort Hays State (8-3, 3-2 MIAA)
Date: Saturday, Jan. 6, 2024
Time: 4:00 p.m. CST
Site: Hays, Kan.
Live Stats: https://fhsuathletics.com/sidearmstats/mbball
Live Video: http://www.themiaanetwork.com/LUBlueTigers

THE TIP OFF:  The Lincoln men's basketball team plays its final game of 2023 at home on Saturday (Dec. 30) when the Blue Tigers host MIAA rival Pittsburg State at 3:00 p.m. CST. Lincoln opens 2024 on the road, first in Kearney, Neb., where the Blue Tigers play the Lopers of Nebraska Kearney on Thursday (Jan. 4) at 7:30 p.m. CST. LU then travels to Hays, Kan. next Saturday (Jan. 6) to play Fort Hays State at 4:00 p.m. CST. The Blue Tigers are 3-1 in the MIAA and 8-2 overall, and over the next eight days face three league teams hovering around .500 in the conference. Pittsburg State is 6-4 overall and 2-2 in the MIAA, but has won four-straight contests. UNK is 5-5 on the year and 2-3 in the league, but has won three of its last five. Fort Hays State, meanwhile, is 8-3 overall and 3-2 in league play, but coming off an overtime loss on the road to Newman on Dec. 17.

FAST BREAKS
- This is the 47th meeting between Lincoln and Pittsburg State, with the Gorillas leading the series, 34-12. The two teams split the season series last year.

- Lincoln plays Nebraska Kearney for the 20th time on Thursday. LU holds a slim 10-9 advantage in the series after sweeping the Lopers last year, including winning in Kearney, Neb., 63-49.

- LU and FHSU are meeting for the 30th time, with FHSU leading the series 19-10 after sweeping LU last season.

PREVIEWING THE BLUE TIGERS:  Elijah Farr is averaging 12.2 points and 9.0 rebounds while DJ Richardson is scoring 16.4 points per night as LU is 8-2 on the young season. Franck Yetna, with 12.8 points per contest, is also one of the team's top scorers while Jamar Madge, Jr. averages 9.9 and Jose Roberto Tanchyn averages 7.7.

HEAD COACH JIMMY DREW:  In his second year as the head coach at Lincoln, Drew led the Blue Tigers to 17 overall wins and 13 conference victories, the latter a program record, in 2022-23. Drew came to LU following a six-year run on the staff at Division I Central Florida, where he helped UCF to a pair of 20-win seasons and a berth in the second round of the NCAA tourney.

LAST TIME OUT
Lincoln 76, Missouri Southern 65
Lincoln made 22 free throws and shot .917 at the line to beat Missouri Southern, 76-65, on Dec. 16. Franck Yetna, who collected 10 rebounds, and Elijah Farr each scored 20 points, DJ Richardson added 18 and Sam Rautins grabbed five boards at the Blue Tigers improved to 8-1 on the season.

William Woods 71, Lincoln 69
Trey Boston hit a jumper with under 10 seconds to play to give Lincoln a one-point advantage, but William Woods drained a late three to beat the Blue Tigers in Jason Gym, 71-69, on Dec. 18. Boston finished with 16 points, Jamar Madge, Jr. added 13 and Tyson Robinson scored 12 while Franck Yetna and Elijah Farr each chipped in eight. The Owls shot .474 on the night, though, and scored 16 points off Lincoln turnovers.

SCOUTING THE GORILLAS:  Jeramy Shaw has played two games and averaged 29 points in those contests while Max Alexander leads the MIAA with a 19.7 scoring average. Jordan Frison (14.8 ppg.), Tanner Mans (12.5 ppg.) and Deshaun English II (12.0 ppg.) are PSU's other top scorers, with English leading the Gorrilas with a rebound average of 8.8.

PSU HEAD COACH JEFF BOSCHEE:  Now in his second year at Pittsburg State, Boschee spent eight seasons as the head coach at Missouri Southern, compiling a 151-86 record. Boschee led the Lions to four 20-win seasons as well as 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.

SCOUTING THE LOPERS:  Five UNK players average at least 10 points per game, with Sean Murphy tallying 11 points and 8.9 rebounds per game. Damiri Lindo leads Nebraska Kearney with 13.9 points per night. Sean Evans averages 12.2 points, D'Aundrae Samuels is next with 11.7 and Miguel Robles averages exactly 10 points per night..

UNK INTERIM HEAD COACH ANTOINE YOUNG:  After spending the past six seasons as Nebraska Kearney's assistant coach, Young was elevated to the top position after Kevin Lofton resigned after UNK's first game of the 2023-24 campaign. Young began his career as at NAIA Concordia and played professionally in Sweden, Mexico and the Netherlands.

SCOUTING THE TIGERS:  Kaleb Hammeke, with 13.4 points, 4.7 rebounds and 3.8 assists, leads a balanced FHSU scoring attack that out-scores its opponents by an average of 68.2-56.8. Traejon Davis averages a team-high 5.5 rebounds while Elijah Nnanabu is scoring 10.5 points per game. As a team, Fort Hays State is shooting .457 from the field, but just .295 from three-point land. Opponents shoot .376 on average against FHSU.

FHSU HEAD COACH MARK JOHNSON:  The all-time wins leader at Fort Hays State, Johnson has more than 400 victories with the Tigers and has led FHSU to seven appearances in the NCAA tournament. The Tigers have won at least 20 games in 11 seasons under Johnson, with four players earning All-American honors.

FARR OUT:  Elijah Farr leads the MIAA and is ranked 32nd in NCAA Division II in rebounding (9.0), just one of the ways he has been a do-it-all player for the Blue Tigers. Farr ranks 17th in the country in defensive rebounding (7.0) and 13th in double-doubles (five). He additionally is eighth in the MIAA in blocks (12) and eighth in blocks (1.2) while averaging 12.2 points and 2.9 assists.

NOTABLE NATIONAL NUMBERS:  Lincoln is sharp at the line, shooting .788, NCAA Division II's 11th-best free throw percentage. The Blue Tiger defense is 30th in DII, allowing opponents to score just 66.4 points per contest. LU's field goal percentage (.475) is the country's 71st-best while Lincoln's three-point percentage (.384) rates 48th. Lincoln has an effective field goal percentage of .554, 49th in DII.

DJ'S TOP-10:  DJ Richardson has established himself as one of the nation's top free throw shooters, as he enters the weekend with a .907 accuracy rating. That percentage is the 25th-best in NCAA Division II. Richardson also rates eighth in the MIAA in points per game (16.4) and is tied for 15th in assists (3.0).

GET YOUR TICKETS:  Lincoln is partnering up with Hometown Ticketing once again to sell tickets to all of LU's basketball games online in 2023-24. For more information, or to purchase single game or regular season tickets, 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 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:  The Blue Tigers are back at home to host Emporia State on Thursday, Jan. 11 in a 7:30 p.m. CST contest.