Complete Game Notes
Game # 19: Indianapolis (11-8, 5-6 GLVC) at Lincoln (13-5, 5-5 GLVC)
Date: Thursday, Jan. 30, 2025
Time: 7:30 p.m. CST
Site: Jefferson City, Mo.
Live Stats: https://lubluetigers.com/sidearmstats/mbball
Live Video: https://www.glvcsn.com/lincolnbluetigers/
 
Game #20: Illinois-Springfield (10-9, 5-6 GLVC) at Lincoln
Date: Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025
Time: 3:00 p.m. CST
Site: Jefferson City, Mo.
Live Stats: https://lubluetigers.com/sidearmstats/mbball
Live Video: https://www.glvcsn.com/lincolnbluetigers/
 
THE TIP OFF:  The Lincoln men's basketball team is back in Jefferson City to host two GLVC contests this week. On Thursday (Jan. 30), Lincoln hosts Indianapolis at 7:30 p.m. CST in the first-ever meeting between the two programs. On Saturday (Feb. 1), the Blue Tigers host Illinois-Springfield at 3:00 p.m. CST in LU's annual Think Pink game. Fans are encouraged to wear pink as Lincoln shares its support for cancer survivors and passes along awareness of research on treatment options. Lincoln is 13-5 overall and 5-5 in the GLVC after winning, 73-68, at McKendree on Jan. 23. Indianapolis enters the week with an 11-8 record, including a 5-6 mark in league play, after winning two of its past three contests. Illinois-Springfield is also 5-6 in conference play and 10-9 on the season after winning four of its past six games.
 
FAST BREAKS
- Lincoln and Indianapolis will meet for the first time ever on Saturday.
 
- Saturday marks the fifth meeting between Lincoln and Illinois-Springfield, with the Prairie Stars leading the all-time series, 3-1.
 
- LU's win over UIS came in the first home game of 2010-11, when the Blue Tigers beat the Prairie Stars, 76-68
 
- This season, the Blue Tigers are 9-2 when they play in Jason Gym.
 
PREVIEWING THE BLUE TIGERS:  With nearly an average of a double-double per game, Franck Yetna (16.1 ppg., 7.2 rpg.) is leading Lincoln in the early part of its 2024-25 season. Mikey West averages 11.8 points and Tyler Chapman, who is averaging 3.8 assists, is next with 11.4 points per contest. Malcolm Davis, who pulls down 5.1 boards while scoring 8.0 per night, joins Max Ekono (6.6 points, 5.9 rebounds) as LU's other top performers.
 
HEAD COACH JIMMY DREW:  In his third year as the head coach at Lincoln, Drew led the Blue Tigers to 17 overall wins and 13 conference wins, the latter a program record, in 2022-23. Drew has led LU to a pair of postseason appearances as well as a playoff victory in 2023-24. Drew came to Lincoln following a six-year run on the staff at Division I Central Florida, where he helped UCF make the second round of the NCAA tourney.
 
LAST TIME OUT
Missouri-St. Louis 69, Lincoln 51
UMSL had a 29-27 lead at halftime, but shot .565 over the final 20 minutes to beat Lincoln, 69-51, in Jefferson City on Jan. 16. Franck Yetna doubled up with 16 points and 10 rebounds while Mikey West scored 11 points and Matthieu Biembongo finished with eight points and eight boards.
 
Truman State 79, Lincoln 75 (OT)
The Blue Tigers rallied back from a 14-point hole to force overtime, but Truman State made eight free throws during the extra period to secure a 79-75 win in Kirksville, Mo. on Jan. 20. Mikey West poured in 23 points, Franck Yetna scored 20 and Malcolm Davis grabbed 10 rebounds.
 
Lincoln 73, McKendree 68
Lincoln held McKendree to just 14 points in the first half and held off a late comeback bid to win, 73-68, in Lebanon, Ill. last Thursday (Jan. 23). Four Blue Tigers scored in double figures, led by Mikey West with 19 points and eight rebounds. Max Ekono scored 16 and also had eight boards.
 
SCOUTING THE GREYHOUNDS:  Indianapolis has seven players averaging at least seven points per night, led by Dashawn Jackson, who scores 15.5 points and dishes 3.1 assists per game. Brody Whitaker averages 14.4 points and 1.4 steals and Grant Disken is scoring 11.2 points per contest while Dylan Ingram is next with 9.5 ppg. Tucker Tornatta (7.8 ppg.) leads UIndy in rebounds (6.3).
 
UI HEAD COACH SCOTT HEADY:  A 1986 grad of Indianapolis, Heady is in his first years as the head coach of his alma mater. Heady previously was the head coach at Marian, posting a 168-56 record over the course of his seven-year tenure. Before joining the collegiate ranks, Heady was a high school head coach at Carmel, Connersville and Warren Central.
 
SCOUTING THE PRAIRIE STARS:  Four UIS players are scoring in double figures. led by Max Kunnert with 16.2 points per night. Evan Altman averages 12.0 points as well as a team-high 6.4 rebounds while Jack Weber, who leads the team with 3.0 assists, also averages 12.0 points. Khalil Ross rounds out Illinois-Springfield's top scorers with 10.9 points and 5.8 boards per night.
 
UIS HEAD COACH MATT BROCK:  In his sixth season at Illinois-Springfield, Brock has guided the Prairie Stars to 81 wins, including 19 in 2022-23 and 18 in 2023-24. Brock was the head coach at Missouri Baptist from 2015-19, leading the team to four-straight winning seasons, including a 28-5 mark and an NAIA national tournament bid in 2018-19.
 
LIKE MIKEY:  Mikey West has scored in double figures eight times this season, with the biggest performance coming in LU's one-point win over Quincy, as he scored 28 and dished eight assists. West scored a career-high 30 against Spurgeon and dropped 23 against Truman State as well as 19 at McKendree. Lincoln is 6-1 when West, who averages 11.8 points and 2.8 assists for the year, scores at least 12 points.
 
ATTACK THE GLASS:  Lincoln has been strong on the glass, pulling down 38.6 rebounds per game, the 54th-most in Division II. LU averages 27.2 defensive rebounds, the fourth-most in the GLVC, 11.4 offensive rebounds, the third-most in the league. LU's 5.6 rebound margin is third in the league and is the 36th-best in the nation, and Lincoln is 10-2 when out-rebounding opponents this year.
 
SHUTDOWN DEFENSE:  The Blue Tigers have allowed opponents to shoot just .379 from the field, giving LU the best field goal defense in the GLVC and the third-best in NCAA Division II. Lincoln doesn't allow many points overall, as LU has the nation's third-best scoring defense (61.1). The Blue Tigers are also 30th nationally in blocks per game (4.3, the second-most in the GLVC).
 
POSTPONEMENT:  Lincoln was originally supposed to play at Maryville on Saturday afternoon (Jan. 25), but a medical emergency during the second half of the women's game resulted in the contest being postponed. LU will play Maryville later this year, but a make-up date has not yet been announced.
 
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:  Lincoln plays a rematch with Upper Iowa in Fayette, Iowa on Thursday, Feb. 6 at 7:00 p.m. CST.