Complete Game Notes | MIAA Championship Central
Game #29: No. 10 Lincoln (14-14) vs. No. 7 Emporia State (19-11)
Date: Wednesday, March 6, 2024
Time: 8:15 p.m. CST
Site: Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Mo.
Tickets: Available at www.Ticketmaster.com
Radio Broadcast (on KJLU 88.9 FM): https://www.kjluradio.com/
Live Video: http://www.themiaanetwork.com/lubluetigers
Live Stats: https://themiaa.com/sidearmstats/mbball/

THE TIP OFF:  It's tournament time for the Lincoln men's basketball team, which opens postseason play at the MIAA Men's Basketball Championship in Kansas City on Wednesday (March 6). The Blue Tigers, who have the No. 10 seed in this year's tournament, will take on Emporia State, the No. 7 seed, at 8:15 p.m. CST inside Municipal Auditorium. This is the second-straight season that the Blue Tigers will open the MIAA tournament vs. the Hornets, as Lincoln, ranked No. 5 in the tournament in 2022-23, played No. 4 Emporia State, with the Hornets winning 79-70. The Blue Tigers posted a 14-14 record in 2023-24 while the Hornets went 19-11. The winner of the game on Wednesday evening will advance to the MIAA quarterfinals on Thursday (March 7).

FAST BREAKS
- Lincoln and Emporia State will meet for the 39th time on Wednesday, with ESU holding a 25-13 advantage in the overall series.

- The Blue Tigers beat Emporia State, 71-63, in Jason Gym on Jan. 11, but the Hornets won the rematch in Emporia, Kan., 66-57, on Feb. 24.

- This is the third time since 2016 that LU and ESU face off in the playoffs. Emporia State won in Kansas City, 79-70, a year ago. In 2016, LU won in Jason Gym, 73-71.

- LU has won nine of its last 16 games against ESU.

PREVIEWING THE BLUE TIGERS:  Elijah Farr is averaging 12.2 points and 7.0 rebounds while DJ Richardson is scoring 15.0 points per night and dishing 3.4 assists. Franck Yetna, with 10.9 points per contest, is also one of the team's top scorers while Jamar Madge, Jr. averages 6.8 points and Jose Roberto Tanchyn averages 6.7.

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

LAST TIME OUT
Northeastern State 82, Lincoln 74
DJ Richardson and Sam Rautins each scored 16, Franck Yetna had 12 points and Peyton Williams added 10, but the Blue Tigers fell to Northeastern State, 82-74, on Thursday night (Feb. 29). NSU shot .528 from the field and .417 from long range while also making 21 free throws to earn the win.

Rogers State 70, Lincoln 62
After a back-and-forth first half, Rogers State took control of the second and held off the Blue Tigers for a 70-62 win in Jason Gym on Saturday (March 2). Elijah Farr finished with 16 points and 12 rebounds, Sam Rautins finished with 14 and DJ Richardson and Jamar Madge, Jr. each had 12 points. Franck Yetna had two blocks and a pair of steals while Rautins dished four assists.

SCOUTING THE HORNETS:  Alijah Comithier is an outstanding all-around player, averaging 18.0 points, 5.4 rebounds and 2.5 assists. Next on the scoring chart for ESU is Solomon Oraegbu with 16.3 points per contest, and Owen Long averages 15.9 points and a team-best 3.6 assists. The top rebounder for Emporia State is Darius Yohe with 5.6 per contest.

ESU HEAD COACH CRAIG DOTY:  A three-time national champion head coach, Doty is in his sixth season as the leader of the Hornets. Doty, who is 97-75 at Emporia State, won a pair of national titles at Rock Valley before winning an NAIA title at Graceland. Doty has coached ESU to five wins over nationally-ranked teams, including a 74-65 victory over No. 1 Northwest Missouri last season.

PLAYOFFS!:  Lincoln is playing in the postseason for the eighth time in the past nine year this week and is making its second-straight trip to Kansas City's Municipal Auditorium. In five of its last eight playoff appearances, the Blue Tigers have won at least one game. LU has twice advanced to the championship game of the MIAA Men's Basketball tourney, losing to Truman State in 1981 and falling to Southeastern Missouri in 1987. Overall, LU is 7-10 in MIAA tournament games, including 2-1 in overtime.

FARR OUT:  Elijah Farr, who has recorded eight double-doubles this season, has stepped up his scoring over the past two months. In 11 of the Blue Tigers' last 17 games, Farr has finished with at least 10 points, and he has hit double figures in 19 total games in 2023-24. Farr is averaging 12.2 points for the season, the second-best average on the team, and he is also recording 6.9 rebounds and 2.6 assists per contest.

REJECTED:  The Blue Tigers have blocked 94 shots in 2023-24, the fifth-most of any MIAA team. Lincoln, which is also fifth in the league and 83rd in the country in blocks per game (3.4), has three players with at least 20 blocks. Elijah Farr (28) and Jose Roberto Tanchyn (29) are rated ninth and eighth in the MIAA in blocks while Franck Yetna has 20.

GET YOUR TICKETS:  Tickets for the 2024 MIAA Championship tournament are available for sale on TicketMaster.com. Single session tickets cost $25 for adults and $10 for students.

LU PLAYS ON KJLU:  KJLU 88.9 FM in Jefferson City, Mo., the long-time broadcasting partner of Blue Tiger athletics, will air Wednesday night's basketball game from Kansas City. James Stanley, the voice of the Blue Tigers, will be on the call for Lincoln as the Blue Tigers open the postseason.

NOTABLE NATIONAL NUMBERS:  Lincoln is sharp at the line, shooting .777, NCAA Division II's 16th-best free throw percentage. The Blue Tiger defense is 22nd in DII, as opponents score just 66.9 points per contest. Lincoln's field goal defense (.427) is the country's 65th-best while LU's 3.4 blocks per game rank 83rd nationally.

PLAY IT, DJ:  DJ Richardson, who has the nation's 18th-best free throw percentage of .887, is leading Lincoln, and he is seventh in the MIAA, with 15.0 points per game. He is leading Lincoln with 3.4 assists per game, averages 3.5 boards and is shooting .459 overall, with that percentage ranking 11th in the MIAA. His 86 made three throws are also the 10th-most by an MIAA player this season while his 406 total points rank ninth.

QUITE FRANCKLY:  Franck Yetna has scored at least 10 points in 17 games this season to average 10.9 points per game, but he has also been great at rebounding. Yetna has grabbed at least five rebounds in 15 contests, including a 20-point, 10-board night against Missouri Southern. Yetna has helped LU out-rebound opponents 11 times in 2023-24.

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:  If the Blue Tigers win on Wednesday, they will play Fort Hays State on Thursday at 8:15 p.m. CST.