The Lindenwood men’s basketball team overcame a double-digit first half deficit to defeat the Missouri Western Griffons 71-63 due in large part to strong performances by both Jackson Price and Dominique Dobbs.

“I think we moved the ball around well in the second half, we were strong on the boards and we made some good shots,” head coach Lance Randall said.

He said that he saw an increase in intensity out of his team when they faced a large deficit, and that their execution on both ends of the floor improved as the game went along. 

The first half was anything but smooth for the Lions, as they allowed the Griffons to shoot 60 percent from the field in the first 20 minutes. At one point, Missouri Western led by 11 points. 

That’s when Lindenwood junior guard Jackson Price took the game over. 

Price scored or assisted on the final five made shots of the half for the Lions, tallying 16 total points by halftime. 

“Jackson singlehandedly kept us in this game when everybody was struggling defensively,” Randall said. 

Price finished the game with 21 points, including five made three-pointers. He also added four assists. 

In the second half, Lindenwood was able to execute under the basket to extend the lead. Dominique Dobbs and Chandler Diekvoss added 14 points apiece, nearly all of them coming on layups either in transition or near the end of the shot clock. 

Regarding Dobbs, Randall said, ” I think ‘Dominate’ Dobbs would be an appropriate nickname for this kid.”

For the second game in a row, Lindenwood was forced to play shorthanded, as two of its starters deal with illnesses. Freshman Max Meylor has been out for more than two weeks, while freshman Brenon Larson-Gulsvig also missed the game battling an illness of his own. 

In their absence, Randall praised the likes of seldom-used players such as Zac Haese and Landon Mills for being able to step up and play high-pressure minutes for the team. 

With the win, Lindenwood improves to 6-7 in the MIAA, and 16-9 overall. They will return to the court Saturday afternoon at 3:30 p.m. as they take on undefeated and top-ranked Northwest Missouri. The Bearcats will come into the game with a record of 20-0.