Game #1: Harris Stowe (1-2) at Lincoln (0-0)
Date: Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2024
Time: 5:30 p.m. CST
Site: Jason Gym (1,538) in Jefferson City, Mo.
Tickets: https://www.lubluetigers.com/tickets
Live Video: https://www.glvcsn.com/lincolnbluetigers/
Live Stats: https://lubluetigers.com/sidearmstats/wbball/
 
THE TIP OFF:  A brand new era of Blue Tiger basketball tips off on Wednesday (Nov. 13) as the Lincoln women's basketball team hosts Harris Stowe in its 2024-25 season opener. Tip-off is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. CST as Blue Tiger fans get their first look at the team under first year head coach Addae Houston. This meeting between the two HBCUs in the state of Missouri will be the lone game in Jason Gym for Lincoln this month, though the Blue Tigers play four of their six December games in Jefferson City. Harris Stowe has already played three times this season, falling to Simmons in overtime, 100-84, and to Brescia, 80-42, after winning its season-opener against William Penn, 80-78.
 
FAST BREAKS
-  Lincoln and Harris Stowe will meet on Wednesday for the 40th time, with LU owning a commanding 38-4 advantage in the all-time series.
 
- Harris Stowe has won each of the past two meetings, beating Lincoln in St. Charles, Mo., 68-64 in 2016 and winning in St. Louis, Mo., 71-65, in 2015.
 
- The Blue Tigers are playing for their second-straight home-opening win after beating Baptist Bible, 101-59, in their first home game of 2023-24.
 
- Lincoln is also trying to win its season opener for the third-consecutive year.
 
PREVIEWING THE BLUE TIGERS:  Lincoln returns four key contributors from its 2023-24 squad, led by Hanne Nybo, who started 21 games and played in all 28 contests last season, and Biance Stocks, who made 18 starts while appearing in 25 games. Nybo (4.2 ppg., 3.7 rpg.) and Stocks (4.9 ppg.) are joined by Kiara Cabrera (2.7 ppg.) and Emma Wolken (1.3 ppg.).
 
HEAD COACH ADDAE HOUSTON:  A 17-year coaching veteran with strong ties to Missouri, Houston is in his first season as the head coach of the Blue Tigers. Houston helped DI Northwestern State record a .714 home winning percentage in 2023-24 following a successful four-year run as an assistant coach at Northwest Missouri, his alma mater. He was the head coach at Southwestern Community College from 2013-18, leading the team to its first postseason win in over a decade.
 
SCOUTING THE HORNETS:  Cailynn Dilosa has started the season on a tear, averaging 19.7 points per game after a 32 point performance in HSSU's loss to Simmons. Toree Jackson, who averages 8.3 points, leads Harris Stowe with 9.3 rebounds per contest, followed by Tyara Davis (7.0 rpg.) and Dilosa (5.7 rpg.). Samara Swire has seven assists and four steals to go with an 8.3 scoring average, while Lauryn Evans is next on the scoring chart at 7.0 ppg.
 
HSSU HEAD COACH MORRA GILL McDANIEL:  In her second season as the head coach at Harris Stowe, Gill McDaniel has experience coaching at nearly level of competition. Gill McDaniel was an assistant coach at Division I Norfolk State before joining the Hornets and has also worked at La Salle, Providence, West Virginia Tech, Morehead State and Henderson State. Gill McDaniel is married to former NBA All-Star Xavier McDaniel.
 
NEW YEAR, NEW LEAGUE: This will be the first year that Lincoln plays as a full member of the GLVC after playing in the MIAA the past 14 years. The new conference allows easier travel for LU fans, with eight other programs located in the state of Missouri and three others in Illinois near the border.
 
UPCOMING HOME GAMES:  After Wednesday's match up with Harris Stowe, Lincoln has two more home non-conference games: Principia (Dec. 14) & Emporia State (Dec. 21). LU also hosts GLVC games vs. Lewis (Dec. 5) and Upper Iowa (Dec. 7).
 
HELLO AGAIN!:  Despite changing conferences, Lincoln has some familiar faces on its 2024-25 schedule. The Blue Tigers play non-GLVC games against former MIAA rivals Washburn (Nov. 25), Missouri Western (Nov. 26), Central Missouri (Dec. 17) and Emporia State (Dec. 21). Lincoln will also play conference games against Truman State and Southwest Baptist, both of whom were longtime rivals of the Blue Tigers in the MIAA.
 
WELCOME BACK:  After spending the 2023-24 season as a member of LU's indoor and outdoor track & field teams, Ayreona Carter is back to play for the women's basketball program in 2024-25. Carter previously played basketball for the Blue Tigers from 2021-23, playing in 30 contests with nine starts. Carter averaged 6.4 points as well as 3.0 rebounds during her freshman season and has 17 blocks during her tenure as a Blue Tiger.
 
RETURNING REDSHIRTS:  Two players who spent 2023-24 as redshirt members of the Lincoln women's basketball team will be on the active roster all year long. Imani Harris, a transfer from Western Nebraska Community College who also played 25 games for NCAA Division I program Siena, joins Korri Williams as Blue Tigers who were on the team last season and who will play in their first LU games this year.
 
NATIONAL TALENT:  Hanne Nybo, who was a member of Norway's national U-16 team, is LU's most-experienced returning starter. Nybo, who played in all 28 games and made 21 starts, did a little bit of everything for Lincoln last year. She averaged 4.2 points and 3.7 rebounds, dished 22 assists, blocked seven shots and had 18 steals.
 
A STOCK TO WATCH:  Biance Stocks returns for her junior season after starting 18 of the 25 games she played as a Blue Tigers last season. Stocks scored 4.9 points per game and registered 27 steals while shooting .739 at the free throw line. She also tallied 67 rebounds and 38 assists.
 
ROAD WARRIORS:  Lincoln will play the first part of its season away from the friendly confines of Jason Gym as, after Wednesday, the Blue Tigers embark on a four-game road trip. LU gets a break from the road in December, as four of its next five contests are in Jefferson City.
 
FIRST-EVER MEETING:  With the change to the GLVC, Lincoln has two games against teams it has never played since joining the NCAA in 1983. LU plays Lewis on Dec. 5 and Feb. 8 in the first two meetings in series history. LU also plays Indianapolis for the first time ever on Jan. 30.
 
KI TO SUCCESS:  Another returner for Lincoln is Kiara Cabrera, who scored 52 points while shooting .352 from the field in 2023-24. Cabrera appeared in 19 contests last year, making starts in two of those games, and grabbed 22 rebounds to go with 11 steals and five assists.
 
LOCAL TIES:  Two Blue Tigers have ties to the area. Emma Wolken, in her second season with the program, is a graduate of Blair Oaks. Freshman Lyssa Sportsman, meanwhile, is Jefferson City High School graduate.
 
GET YOUR TICKETS:  Lincoln is partnering up with Hometown Ticketing once again to sell tickets to all of LU's basketball games online in 2024-25. 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 GLVC Network. Every LU home game will be broadcast through a new multi-camera system and can be seen at https://www.glvcsn.com/lincolnbluetigers.
 
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 play Washburn in Topeka, Kan. on Monday, Nov. 25 at 6:00 p.m. CST.