Complete Game Notes
Game #32: No. 7 Lincoln (23-8) vs. No. 2 Lake Superior State (27-6)
Date: Saturday, March 15, 2025
Time: 2:30 p.m. CST
Site: The Recreation and Athletic Center in Springfield, Ill.
Tickets: Available at www.UISPrairieStars.com
Live Video: https://www.glvcsn.com/
Live Stats: https://uisprairiestars.com/sidearmstats/mbball
Radio: 88.9 FM KJLU - www.KJLURadio.com
 
THE TIP OFF:  For the first time since 1981, the Lincoln men's basketball team is back in the NCAA tournament, as the Blue Tigers play Lake Superior State on Saturday (March 15) at 2:30 p.m. CDT. This first round game of the Midwest Regional, along with the second round and the Sweet 16 games, will all be played at the Recreation and Athletic Center on the campus of Illinois-Springfield in Springfield, Ill. Lincoln received the No. 7 seed and takes on Lake Superior State, which earned the No. 2 seed and is currently ranked No. 16 in the National Association of Basketball Coaches' Division II poll. The Blue Tigers won the GLVC tournament last weekend (March 7-9) to earn the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA tournament in their first season as a member of the league.
 
FAST BREAKS
- This is the first meeting ever between Lake Superior State and Lincoln.
 
- The Blue Tigers are making their 13th trip to the NCAA Division II tournament. Lincoln previously made the field in 1959, 1960, 1961, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1972, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978 and 1981.
 
- Lincoln is 12-13 all-time in NCAA tournament games.
 
- LU will try to improve to 6-0 in games played at neutral locations this season and to 8-2 in contests played on a Saturday.
 
PREVIEWING THE BLUE TIGERS:  With 15.2 ppg. and 6.9 rpg., Franck Yetna leads Lincoln in scoring and is second in rebounding. Andreas Fuller averages 13.5 points and 6.2 boards while Tyler Chapman averages 13.8 points and a team-high 3.1 assists. Mikey West is next on the scoring list with 10.7 points per game while Max Ekono leads the Blue Tigers with 7.0 rebounds per night. LU's other key contributor is Malcolm Davis with 8.0 points and 4.5 rebounds per contest.
 
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 trio of postseason appearances as well as a playoff victory in 2023-24. In 2024-25, Drew led Lincoln to its first-ever GLVC tournament title as well as the program's first bid into the NCAA tournament since 1981.
 
LAST TIME OUT:  Lincoln allowed Missouri-St. Louis to make only 16 field goals as the LU won, 58-51, in the championship game of the GLVC tournament on Sunday (March 9). Andreas Fuller scored 19 points and Tyler Chapman provided 16 points while Franck Yetna finished with nine points and 10 rebounds.
 
SCOUTING THE LAKERS:  Five Lake Superior State players average over 10 points per game, including Hunter Soper, who tallies 11.5 ppg., 7.0 rpg., 2.2 apg., 1.8 spg. and 1.1 bpg.. Tyson Edmonson leads the team in ppg. (16.2) and Kingsley Perkins averages 12.9 points and 6.8 boards. The other top scorers are Devin Womack (10.7 ppg., 3.4 apg.) and Adam Harakow (11.0 ppg.).
 
LSSU HEAD COACH STEVE HETTINGA:  The all-time winningest coach in the history of Lake Superior State, Hettinga has led the Lakers to six NCAA tournament appearances and has over 300 career victories. Hettinga guided Lake Superior State to the Sweet 16 last year and he has a career record of 6-5 in NCAA tournament games.
 
ALL-CONFERENCE:  Two Blue Tigers were named to the All-GLVC team after helping LU earn the No. 4 seed in the conference tournament. Franck Yetna was named to the All-GLVC first team as well as the GLVC's All-Defensive team. Tyler Chapman, meanwhile, was selected to the All-GLVC second team.
 
ALL-AMERICAN:  Franck Yetna was named to the HBCU D2 All-American second team after leading Lincoln in scoring and ranking second in rebounding this season. BOXTOROW, a radio show hosted by Donal Ware that covers HBCU sports and which is nationally syndicated, has put out the list of HBCU D2 All-American since 2009.
 
NIFTY FIFTY:  With an 83-64 win at Rockhurst on February 20, head coach Jimmy Drew earned his 50th victory in his three-year tenure at Lincoln. Drew led LU to the second-biggest turnaround in Division II in his first season, leading the team to 17 wins after the Blue Tigers had won only four in 2021-22. Last year, Drew led LU to 15 wins, and, this season, guided Lincoln to a 23-8 mark for 55 total career victories. Drew has a record of 4-2 in postseason contests.
 
ATTACK THE GLASS:  Lincoln has been strong on the glass, pulling down 38.6 rebounds per game, the 42nd-most in Division II. Lincoln is averaging 27.3 defensive rebounds, the third-most in the GLVC, and 11.3 offensive rebounds, also the third-most in the league. Lincoln's 6.1 rebound margin leads the GLVC and is 22nd-best in NCAA Division II.
 
SHUTDOWN DEFENSE:  The Blue Tigers have allowed opponents to shoot just .390 from the field, giving LU the best field goal defense in the GLVC and the fourth-best in NCAA Division II. Lincoln doesn't allow many points overall, as LU has the nation's sixth-best scoring defense (63.1). Lincoln is also 61st nationally in blocks per game (3.7, the third-most in the GLVC).
 
QUITE FRANCKLY:  Franck Yetna has scored at least 10 points in 26 of LU's 31 games this season and leads the team with 15.2 points per contest. Yetna reached a season high with 34 points against Quincy and has six total games with at least 20 points. Yetna also has four double-doubles this season and is second on the team with 6.9 rebounds per contest.
 
FULL HOUSE:  Andreas Fuller has only played in 13 games this year, but he has made his presence felt. Since joining the active roster on Jan. 30, Fuller has averaged 13.5 points, 6.2 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.1 steals. In each of the last 11 games, Fuller has scored at least 10 points, with a season-high 21 against Lewis on Feb. 8.
 
A FINE CHAP:  Tyler Chapman is leading Lincoln, and is ranked ninth in the GLVC, in assists with 3.1 per game. Chapman, who averages 13.8 points, is a fantastic shooter, with his .443 accuracy rate from three-point range leading the league. For the season, Chapman is shooting .449 from the field and .889 at the line.
 
TO THE MAX:  Lincoln's top rebounder is Max Ekono, who averages 7.0 rebounds per contest, eighth-most in the GLVC. Ekono's 218 total rebounds are the fifth-most in the conference while his 5.1 defensive boards per game rates eighth. Ekono has pulled down at least 10 rebounds in five of the past eight games.
 
ALL-TOURNEY:  Andreas Fuller was named the GLVC Tournament Most Valuable Player after averaging 17.7 points during Lincoln's title run. Also making the GLVC All-Tournament team was Tyler Chapman, who also averaged 17.7 ppg. during the GLVC Championship.
 
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.
 
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: A victory on Saturday advances the Blue Tigers to the second round of the tourney, played on Sunday (March 16) at 5:00 p.m. CDT.