07-01-03 LINCOLN UNIVERSITY OPENS HEARTLAND ACTION

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Home » Athletics » Sports News » 07-01-03 LINCOLN UNIVERSITY OPENS HEARTLAND ACTION

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LINCOLN UNIVERSITY OPENS HEARTLAND ACTION

WOMEN

The benefits of playing a loaded non-conference schedule that included a pair of top-10 teams (No. 3 Washburn, No. 8 Missouri Western), a potential all-America in Andrea Oldham from Southwestern Oklahoma, Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association teams (Washburn, Pittsburg State and Truman State), Great Lakes Valley Conference opponents (Missouri-Rolla and Rockhurst) along with one of the best teams in the Gulf South Conference (Harding) has prepared Lincoln University for the rigors of Heartland Conference play.

At first glance the Blue Tigers (1-11) win-loss column bears a striking resemblance to that of the 2005-06 season (1-23 overall). Beneath the surface a different story unfolds, the Blue Tigers have been more competitive this season dropping four games by 10 points or less. In 2005-06 Lincoln University had a margin of 10 or fewer in just five of their 24 games.

Expected back for tonight’s game after nearly a month off for the Blue Tigers is Brezette Elder-Wade. Elder-Wade has not played since Dec. 9, 2006 in Weatherford, Okla. Although she missed three games, Elder-Wade leads the Heartland Conference in scoring (18.9 points-per-game). Also providing scoring punch for Lincoln University is Jasmine Washington at 11.5 ppg.

St. Edward’s University (1-9) has a balanced offense with eight players averaging between 7.3 ppg and 3.7 ppg. Five of those eight student-athletes are underclassmen. The Hilltoppers have only six upperclassmen (all juniors) on their roster of 15. Only one player on the St. Edward’s team is not from Texas. The Hilltoppers leading scorer (7.3 ppg), Whitney Regian (so., g), a transfer from NCAA Division I Texas Christian University (Fort Worth, Texas) is from Las Cruces, N.M. Tammy Bartosh (jr., f) was a 2005-06 all-Heartland Conference honorable mention pick. Bartosh is averaging 6.4 ppg and 4.9 rebounds-per-game this season. In 2005-06 Bartosh averaged 7.1 ppg and a team-best 6.1 rpg. Bartosh currently leads the Hilltoppers in minutes-per-game (30.5), field-goal attempts (8.1) and assists (2.0). She was named to the 2006-07 Preseason all-Heartland Conference team.

What the Blue Tigers face in the Hilltoppers is a team reliant upon defense. St. Edward’s has a defense holding foes to a Heartland low 60.1 ppg. The Hilltoppers are ranked No. 2 in field goal percentage defense (40.7 percent) and No. 1 in three-point field goal percentage defense (30.2 percent) in the Heartland. St. Edward’s rebounding defense (31.5 rpg) is No. 1 and their rebounding offense (37.5 rpg) No. 3 in the conference. Their plus-6 rebounding margin is a league high. The Hilltoppers have the third-highest free-throw percentage in the conference at 70.2 percent.

The Blue Tigers are No. 3 in the Heartland in field goal percentage (37.1 percent) and rebounding defense (37.9 rpg). Lincoln University leads the Heartland in steals (10.25 steals-per-game) and blocks (3.33 blocks-per-game). St. Edward’s is tied for second in the Heartland with 3 blocks a game.

On only one occasion since the Blue Tigers joined the Heartland Conference have they earned a victory in their conference opener. Lincoln University began the 2002-03 conference season with a 53-49 win at Incarnate Word (San Antonio, Texas) on Jan. 9, 2003. In that 2002-03 campaign the Blue Tigers played in the Heartland Conference Postseason Tournament as the outright No. 3 seed. The No. 3 seed in the inaugural event is their highest on record in the postseason event.

Since the inception of the Heartland Conference in 2000-01 the Hilltoppers have posted a series record of 8-4 against the Blue Tigers. The last victory for Lincoln University in the series was Feb. 10, 2005, 65-54 in the Recreation and Convocation Center on the St. Edward’s University (Austin, Texas) campus.

St. Edward’s recap:

When two one-win teams compete on the court one team is leaving with their win total doubled. To the dismay of the Blue Tiger faithful who showed up in earnest Wednesday night in Jason Gymnasium, Lincoln University could not mount a significant comeback attempt after St. Edward’s University mustered a double-digit lead for the majority of the second half. The Hilltoppers (2-9 overall, 1-0 Heartland Conference) beat the Blue Tigers (1-12, 0-1) 56-44 in the Heartland Conference opener for both teams.

St. Edward’s never trailed in the game and took a 23-20 edge to halftime.

In a game where the Blue Tigers stars were dim, Lincoln University struggled for offensive solutions as it seemed several shots were launched late in the shot clock. The Hilltoppers smothered Heartland Conference leading scorer Brezette Elder-Wade, limiting her to only 8 points (2-of-15 from the field; 0-of-5 on 3-point attempts). Topping the scoring for the Blue Tigers was Jasmine Washington, who took 17 shots to get her 12 points (5-of-17 from the field; 0-of-6 on 3-point attempts; 2-of-4 from the free throw line). Elder-Wade and Stacey Smith posted performances of 8 points and 7 rebounds.

Sophia Holguin had a game-high 14 points for the Hilltoppers. Sara Head went for a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds. Whitney Regian scored 10 points and Tammy Bartosh added 9 points and 8 rebounds.

The Blue Tigers had their second worst game from the field hitting on just 27.9 percent (17-of-61) of their field goal attempts. By comparison the Hilltoppers took 14 fewer shots and hit 36.2 percent for the game (17-of-47). The 36.2 percent defensive effort allowed by the Blue Tigers was the lowest an opponent has shot against them this season.

The Blue Tigers had a rough time connecting from 3-point range. Lincoln University made only 1-of-13 attempts (.077) from beyond the arc. It is the fourth time in 2006-07, in which the Blue Tigers have not shot more than 10 percent from long range.

St. Edward’s made nearly twice as many free-throws as Lincoln University attempted. The Hilltoppers shot 70.4 percent (19-of-27) from the free-throw line, while the Blue Tigers had one of their top four games from the line making 81.8 percent (9-of-11).

Lincoln University worked hard rebounding, but lost the battle of the boards 41-36. In three games the Blue Tigers have out-rebounded their opponents and in five others they have been beaten on the boards by five rebounds or less.

The six blocks tied the second highest swat game of the season for Lincoln University. The 12 steals taken by the Hilltoppers tied the season-high allowed on two previous occasions by the Blue Tigers. For the sixth game in a row the Blue Tigers have had more turnovers than their opponent. Lincoln University posted 23 turnovers and St. Edward’s gave it away 22 times.

The Blue Tigers return to action on Jan. 6 at 1:30 p.m. in Jason Gymnasium against Heartland Conference provisional member Texas A&M International from Laredo, Texas.

MEN

The Blue Tigers (3-6) begin Heartland Conference play against the Hilltoppers of St. Edward’s University (9-3, 1-0 HC) on Jan. 3 in Jason Gymnasium. It is the first home game for the Blue Tigers in five weeks (Nov. 29, 88-60 loss to No. 3 Central Missouri).

The Hilltoppers tied for the Heartland Conference regular-season championship in 2005-06 and won the Heartland Conference Postseason tournament to capture the Heartland bid to the NCAA Division II South Central Region tournament.

After opening the 2006-07 season with three consecutive wins, (best start since 5-0 in 2000-01) the Blue Tigers enter the game on a six-game losing skid. In that six game slide is a defeat at NCAA Division I Missouri State, a game they trailed at halftime by a manageable 37-24 score, losses to two top-15 teams (No. 3 Central Missouri and No. 15 Northwest Missouri) and a narrow four-point home loss to Missouri-Rolla. A pair of defeats in Arkansas over the Christmas holidays added further frustration to the Blue Tigers season.

The Blue Tiger coaching staff has been forced to scramble all season to find student-athletes capable of competing in NCAA Division II. With the preseason loss of their post players, a mid-December dismissal of their then leading scorer and a couple valuable role players not returning for the spring semester, the Blue Tigers depleted roster has resulted in extended minutes for the student-athletes on the roster. The first result with the short bench was an 89-81 loss at Arkansas-Monticello (Dec. 28) where three Blue Tigers finished the game on the court. Lincoln University dropped a New Year’s Eve game at Arkansas Tech (Russellville, Ark.) 101-84.

At the helm of the Hilltoppers is 2005-06 Heartland Conference Coach of the Year, Ryan Marks. Chavon Farmer, an all-Heartland honorable mention selection in 2005-06 sat out the first semester due to NCAA regulations and in his four games back has yet to produce at an all-conference level. Shawn Weinstein and Daniel Pierre were named to the 2006-07 Preseason all-Heartland Conference team. Weinstein, the Heartland Conference leading scorer (18.8 points-per-game) was an all-Heartland honorable mention selection in 2005-06. He has already been the Heartland Conference Player of the Week twice this season. Taylor Mullenax, the Hilltoppers second leading scorer (12.4 ppg) has won the weekly award once.

The roster moves by the Blue Tigers has placed a greater emphasis on seniors James Edwards and Jordan Rush. The pair must increase their leadership, while the coaching staff searches for the right combination of Blue Tigers to put on the court. Edwards is the leading scorer (12.4 ppg) of those who played in the first semester. Jared Boone, who did not make the trip to Arkansas due to illness is averaging 12.1 ppg and Ralph Mata puts in 11 ppg. Rush must be determined to up his production of 6.9 ppg and 3.6 rebounds-per-game. The senior from Los Angeles, Calif. averaged 8.2 ppg and 4.7 rpg in 2005-06. Rush scored a career-high 27 points in a 77-74 loss at St. Edwards on Feb. 8, 2006. Marcus Warren has made the most of his 21.8 minutes-per-game, producing admirably in the paint with a team leading 5.6 rpg and contributing 4.4 ppg.

In the Charles Terry era, Lincoln University has yet to begin the Heartland Conference in winning fashion. The Blue Tigers have started the conference season with wins twice, both over Incarnate Word. On Jan. 10, 2002 the Blue Tigers beat the Cardinals in Jason Gymnasium 76-68 and won 74-67, Jan. 11, 2001 in San Antonio, Texas. Though the Blue Tigers were Heartland Conference tri-champions in its first season (2000-01) of existence, they have not made the Heartland Conference postseason tournament, which was implemented for the 2002-03 season.

The Blue Tigers have fared well against the triumvirate of the original three Texas schools (Incarnate Word, St. Edward’s and St. Mary’s) going 19-17 in the six years of Heartland Conference competition. In the three years under the direction of head coach Charles Terry, Lincoln University has struggled to a 5-13 mark against the Texas trio, including an 0-6 record against St. Mary’s. The Blue Tigers are 8-4 with the St. Edward’s Hilltoppers in the six years of membership in the Heartland and 2-4 during the Charles Terry regime. The last Blue Tigers win over the Hilltoppers came on Feb. 10, 2005, 75-72 in the Recreation and Convocation Center on the St. Edward’s University (Austin, Texas) campus. In that 2004-05 campaign, the Blue Tigers swept the season series from the Hilltoppers.

St. Edward’s recap:

The Blue Tigers 4-0 start in the first 60-seconds of play was erased as the Hilltoppers used a 20-4 blast to take a 20-8 lead with 9:19 remaining in the first half. A 3-point basket from Jannik Zimmer of St. Edward’s (10-3, 2-0 Heartland) increased the margin to 20 points (47-27) with less than a minute until halftime. The Hilltoppers went into the half ahead 47-29.

St. Edward’s gradually increased their advantage in the second half to prevail by 31 points, 91-60.

Of the 13 players getting in the action for the Hilltoppers, 12 scored. The Hilltoppers hit 46.8 percent of their shots (36-of-77). St. Edward’s knocked home 37 percent of their three-point tries (10-of-27). The Hilltoppers picked 14 steals from the Blue Tigers and dished 20 assists.

The Blue Tigers (3-7, 0-1) fought hard for rebounds, but were out-rebounded 45-43. Lincoln University took 22 more free-throws than the Hilltoppers (11), but the Blue Tigers made just 18 of their 33 attempts (54.5 percent). Only 9 assists were credited to the Blue Tigers. The Hilltoppers converted the 22 turnovers committed by the Blue Tigers into 35 points.

Kenneth Edwards and Taylor Mullenax led St. Edward’s with 12 points. Edwards grabbed 8 rebounds and Mullenax gathered 6.

Brandon Harris and Marcus Warren scored 13 points each for Lincoln University. Harris pulled down a game-high 13 rebounds.

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