Complete Game Notes | Game Day Policy
Game #18: Missouri Western (13-4, 8-3 MIAA) at Lincoln (6-11, 2-9 MIAA)
Date: Wednesday, Jan. 24, 2024
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 #19: Northwest Missouri (13-4, 7-4 MIAA) at Lincoln
Date: Saturday, Jan. 27, 2024
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 is back in Jason Gym this week for a pair of games against MIAA opponents. The Blue Tigers open this week on Wednesday (Jan. 24) with a 5:30 p.m. CST MIAA contest vs. Missouri Western. On Saturday (Jan. 27), LU hosts Northwest Missouri in a 1:00 p.m. CST showdown. The Blue Tigers won their last home, earning a 77-64 victory over Washburn on Jan. 13, but have since dropped a pair of road games, falling to Rogers State on Thursday (Jan. 18), 61-54, and to Northeastern State on Saturday (Jan. 20), 67-54. Missouri Western enters the week as one of the MIAA's hottest teams, having won each of its last three games and eight of its past nine. Northwest Missouri is coming off a 79-49 win over Newman that snapped a two-game skid.

FAST BREAKS
- Lincoln and Missouri Western will meet for the 50th time on Wednesday. The Griffons lead the series, 44-5.

- Lincoln's last victory over Missouri Western came in 2017-18, when the Blue Tigers picked up a 73-62 home win over the Griffons.

- Lincoln and Northwest Missouri will meet for the 54th time on Saturday. NWMSU leads the series, 42-11.

- The Blue Tigers' last win over Northwest Missouri was a 72-46 win in Jason Gym on Jan. 28, 2021.

PREVIEWING THE BLUE TIGERS:  Leading the Blue Tigers in both scoring (15.4) and rebounding (7.5) is Ashlyn Alloway, who also has 26 steals and 18 blocks. Steph Torres averages 11.6 points as well as a team-high 2.8 assists while Imani Jones is next on the scoring chart with 7.9 ppg. AJ Bradley averages 6.8 points while Biance Stocks averages 5.3 points and 2.9 boards.

HEAD COACH ANDREA MIZE:  Andrea Mize is in her fourth 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
Rogers State 61, Lincoln 54
The Blue Tigers were within two with just under three minutes remaining, but were shut out the rest of the way as Rogers State escaped with a 61-54 win in Claremore, Okla. on Thursday (Jan. 18). Tatiana Beaumont led LU with 11 points while Steph Torres was next with 10.

Northeastern State 67, Lincoln 54
Lincoln led for nearly the entire first half, but was held to just seven points in the third quarter as Northeastern State rallied for a 67-54 victory in Tahlequah, Okla. on Saturday (Jan. 20). Hanne Nybo was LU's leading scorer with 14 points and had three steals as well as five rebounds. Imani Jones finished with nine points while three other Blue Tigers each had eight points.

SCOUTING THE GRIFFONS:  Connie Clarke is Missouri Western's top player with 12.0 points, 7.3 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 2.6 steals per contest, all of which are team-highs. Brionna Budgetts (9.6) and Tiani Ellison (9.3) are next on the scoring list while Alyssa Bonilla also averages 2.6 assists. The Griffons average 78.2 points per game and allow just 57.4 points.

MWSU HEAD COACH CANDI WHITAKER:  In her first year with Missouri Western, Whitaker led the Griffons to 21 wins and a berth in the MIAA tournament. Whitaker, now in her fifth season at MWSU, led the Griffons to the Elite 8 in 2022. She spent nine years as a head coach at the Division I level, most recently at Texas Tech, where she made four-straight trips to the Big 12 tourney.

SCOUTING THE BEARCATS:  Molly Hartnett leads Northwest Missouri with 13.1 points and 2.9 assists per game while Kelsey Fields averages 5.6 rebounds for a Bearcat team that enters the week with slim leads over opponents in scoring (68-61 ppg.) and rebounding (36-25 rpg.). Caely Kesten, meanwhile, averages 11.8 points.

NWMSU HEAD COACH AUSTIN MEYER:  A four-year letterwinner Northwest Missouri's men's basketball team from 2002-06, Meyer is in his sixth season leading the Bearcat women and enters the week with a career record of 71-84. From 2008-18, Meyer served as an assistant coach on the NWMSU men's basketball staff and helped lead the Bearcats to the NCAA Division II national championship in 2017.

SECOND WATCH: AJ Bradley has excelled at getting to the line, as, in four years at Lincoln, she has attempted 411 free throws. Bradley has made 278 of those attempts and has moved into third place all-time in program history in total career made free throws. She passed Sheila Lee, who made 257 free throws between 2001-04. Bradley is now 21 free throws away from second place, held by Andrea Sykes, who made 298 shots at the line from 1995-99.

TORR DE FORCE:  Steph Torres, who leads Lincoln with 2.8 assists per game, has emerged as LU's second-leading scorer with 11.6 points per night. Torres ranks 12th in the MIAA in total assists (47) and her 31.8 minutes per game are the ninth-most in the league.

SHOOTING STAR:  Ashlyn Alloway is shooting .523 from the field, a shooting percentage that ranks second in the MIAA and 45th in NCAA Division II. Alloway has made 102 total field goals, the third-most by an MIAA player and the 65th-most in the country. Alloway, who also rates seventh in the MIAA in scoring (15.4), is additionally shooting .429 from three-point range and .743 at the line.

ALL-COURT ALLOWAY:  Ashlyn Alloway leads the Blue Tigers on both sides of the court, emerging as LU's best player on both offense and defense. Alloway averages 15.4 points as well as 7.5 rebounds, both of which are team highs. Alloway, who is seventh in the MIAA in both total rebounding and rebounds per game, has also blocked 18 shots, the seventh-most in the conference.

TAKE IT AWAY:  The Blue Tigers excel at pressuring their opponents, creating an average of 17.8 turnovers per night, the third-most of any MIAA team. Unsurprisingly, Lincoln also ranks high in the conference in steals with 9.5 per game, the fourth-most in the league. AJ Bradley is LU's top thief with 34 steals, rating sixth in the MIAA.

ON THE ROAD AGAIN:  After this week, most of LU's remaining games will be played away from Jason Gym. Just three of Lincoln's eight games in February will be held in Jefferson City as Lincoln plays five of its final nine games on the road.

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:  The Blue Tigers visit Warrensburg, Mo. next Saturday (Feb. 3) for a 1:00 p.m. CST match up with Central Missouri.