Lindenwood Lions men’s basketball (5-7, 0-1 OVC) dropped their first Ohio Valley Conference game of the year to Tennessee Tech (5-7, 1-1 OVC) by a score of 79-73.
The Lions comeback saw them come within two points on multiple occasions late in the second half, but the inability to capitalize on opportunities cost the Lions. Reggie Bass led the way for Lindenwood with a team-high 19 points. Bass added four rebounds and two assists and has now scored in double digits in four straight games. Markeith Browning II was active on both ends of the floor scoring 17 points and posting a team-high seven steals. Jaylon McDaniel had his second straight double-figure scoring outing of the season, scoring 12 points. He also had six rebounds, including five offensive rebounds. Lindenwood had 15 offensive rebounds including five from freshman Jadis Jones. Jones finished the game with eight points, nine rebounds, and three assists. Jordan Wildy also chipped in nine points and four rebounds off the bench. Lindenwood forced the Golden Eagles into 15 turnovers and had 21 points off those turnovers. They also outscored Tennessee Tech 52-30 in the paint but one of the bigger areas where the Golden Eagles was scoring 27 fast break points. Tennessee Tech also shot 11/24 from three compared to 3/18 from Lindenwood and shot 14/17 from the charity stripe compared to 8/16 from the Lions including 11/11 down the stretch compared to 2/8 for Lindenwood.
Lindenwood trailed 12-8 headed into the first media timeout but never trailed by more than six. Following a McDaniel layup with 7:46 left in the half the Lions tied it up at 24-24 and a Bass jumper gave the Lions their first lead since very early in the game. During that span, Lindenwood went on a 15-0 run to take control of the game at 33-24 with 5:40 remaining. However, Tennessee Tech would not go quietly as three straight three-pointers by the Golden Eagles brought them within two at 35-33 before a nice finish to the half and another three-pointer from Kyle Layton gave them a 42-39 lead headed into the halftime break. McDaniel and Bass each had eight points in the first half and Browning chipped in with seven of his own.
The Golden Eagles started the second half hot going on a quick 7-2 run to give them a 49-41 lead and eventually a 52-45 lead at the first media timeout. Out of the timeout, a Browning dunk and a pair of free throws from Bass cut the lead to 54-49. Wildy would drill a three-pointer to cut the lead to 54-52 before both teams would go ice cold from the field and struggle to score over the next four minutes. Tennessee Tech would then go on a 13-2 run behind buckets from Layton, Jaylon Johnson, JaJuan Nicholls, and Ray Glasgow to take a commanding 67-54 lead with 9:36 left to play. However, the Lions would not go quietly as they proceeded to go on an 11-0 run of their own behind buckets from Browing and Wildy to cut the lead to 67-65 following a Bass three with 4:57 left. Two points was the closest the Lions would get as three missed free throws from McDaniel were costly as Lindenwood trailed 69-67 and 71-69 but the Lions weren’t able to convert at the line or in the paint as the Lions missed several easy layups that would’ve tied the game. 71-69 would be the closest the Lions got as Tennessee Tech finished the game on an 8-4 run including going 6/6 from the free throw line in the final 30 seconds of the game.
Too many mistakes down the stretch cost the Lions in this one as their inability to hit free throws and still not hit enough threes has begun to cost and those issues showed brightly on Thursday night. The Lions will be back at it with more OVC action on Saturday, Dec. 21st as the Lions play host to Western Illinois at 3:30 p.m. on ESPN+.
