The Lincoln Blue Tigers are going for their first wins in conference play tonight when they host the Missouri Western Griffons at Jason Gym.
The women’s game tips off at 5:30 p.m., followed by the men’s contest at 7:30 p.m.
The Lincoln women (4-3, 0-1 MIAA) are coming off a 71-46 loss Sunday to then-No. 25 Central Missouri in their MIAA opener.
Le’Yanna McGinnis leads the Blue Tigers in scoring with 11.7 points per game, and also tops the team with 4.4 rebounds per contest. In Sunday’s loss, she led Lincoln with 15 points and six rebounds.
Four players are averaging between 7.5 and 9.0 points per game for Lincoln: Hya Haywood (8.9), Kelsey Mitchell (8.6), Imani Jones (7.9) and Niyah Jackson (7.9).
Lincoln is averaging 69.2 points per game while allowing an average of 65.7. The 46 points against the Jennies is the Blue Tigers’ lowest output of the season.
Missouri Western (6-0, 2-0 MIAA) comes into this contest after back-to-back home wins to start MIAA play. The Griffons beat Rogers State 83-58 last Thursday and Northeastern State 79-61 last Saturday.
Illinois-Springfield is the only common opponent so far between Lincoln and Missouri Western. The Griffons won 82-72 and the Blue Tigers lost 82-48.
Corbyn Cunningham, a 6-foot senior forward, leads Missouri Western with 13.3 points per game, but she finished with just four points against Northeastern State.
Connie Clarke, a 5-10 junior guard, is averaging a double-double of 12.8 points and 11.2 rebounds per game.
The Griffons, who average 78.0 points per game, have five players averaging at least 10 points per game.
Brionna Budgetts (5-8 sophomore guard) is next with 12.7 points per game, followed by Jaelyn Haggard (5-5 graduate guard) at 10.8 and Jordan Cunningham (6-0 freshman guard/forward) at 10.3. Budgetts scored a team-high 22 points in the win against Northeastern State.
The Lincoln men (1-5, 0-1 MIAA) dropped a 72-59 decision in their conference opener to Central Missouri.
Destan Williams is the lone Blue Tiger averaging double figures in scoring with 10.0 points per game. Following Williams in scoring average are Ni’Sean Rigmaiden (9.8), Chuck Wilson (9.5) and Derrick Woods (9.3), who scored a team-high 14 points in Sunday’s loss to the Mules.
Woods also leads the Blue Tigers with 4.7 points per game, while Williams is averaging 4.0 assists per contest.
Missouri Western (6-4, 2-0 MIAA) has won its last four games, including a 93-87 win last Saturday against Northeastern State in St. Joseph.
JaQuaylon Mays, a 6-2 junior guard, leads the Griffons with 21.9 points per game, which is third-best in the MIAA this season. He has scored 12 or more points in every game, finishing with 17 against Northeastern State.
Will Eames, a 6-7 sophomore forward, and Reese Glover, a 6-0 sophomore guard, are each averaging 11.7 points per game. Caleb Bennett, a 6-5 junior guard, is next with 10.9 points per contest. Bennett matched Mays with a team-high 17 points against Northeastern State, a game in which six Griffons scored in double figures.
Eames is four rebounds shy of averaging a double-double, leading Missouri Western with 9.6 rebounds per game. Mays also has 4.5 assists per game.
Both Lincoln and Missouri Western have lost to Missouri-St. Louis and Minnesota State-Mankato this season. The Tritons beat the Griffons 72-67 and the Blue Tigers 80-72, while the Mavericks topped the Griffons 77-64 and the Blue Tigers 92-69.