EVANSVILLE, IN.- Milos Nenadic delivered a career performance with 24 points and 11 rebounds, going a perfect 16-for-16 from the free-throw line to lead Lindenwood Lions men’s basketball (18-14, 11-9 OVC) to a 72-62 win over Little Rock Trojans (12-20, 9-11 OVC) on Wednesday night in the opening round of the Ohio Valley Conference Men’s Basketball Tournament.
The win sends the Lions to the quarterfinals for the second straight year and second time in program history.
Nenadic’s 16 made free throws marked the most by a Lindenwood player in an OVC Tournament game since Reggie Bass went 17-for-17 in last year’s first-round matchup against Morehead State Eagles men’s basketball. It was also the most made free throws by a Lion in any game since that performance.
Nenadic said stepping to the line repeatedly in a tournament environment was a moment he embraced.
“I think it’s just a great experience to be here — playoff basketball,” Nenadic said when asked about his career-high scoring night and perfect free-throw shooting. “It’s a point where the team kind of needs you to step up. We ran some plays to get me fouled, and it was important for me to knock them down and trust my teammates to have my back.”
Lindenwood had three players record a double-double for the first time in the Division I era. Jadis Jones recorded 18 points and 10 rebounds, while Dontrez Williams added 14 points and 11 rebounds.
The Lions set the tone early, opening the game on a 21-6 run over the first 10 minutes. Williams scored seven points during the burst, while Jones energized the Lions with two powerful dunks, including a thunderous slam that pushed the lead to 16-6 midway through the first half.
Lindenwood stretched the advantage to as many as 18 points when Nenadic converted four early free throws to make it 27-9 with just over five minutes remaining before halftime.
Jones led the Lions with 10 first-half points as Lindenwood took a 35-21 lead into the break.
Defense fueled the early surge. Lindenwood forced 12 turnovers in the opening half and recorded 10 steals, turning those opportunities into 12 points while limiting Little Rock to 28.1% shooting before halftime.
Head coach Kyle Gerdeman said the defensive intensity early helped the Lions establish their rhythm.
“I thought our defensive principles in the first half were really, really good,” Gerdeman said when discussing Lindenwood’s eight first-half steals and defensive pressure. “You get steals because you get yourself in the right spot, not because you’re gambling. I thought we were really focused on the scouting report and that led us to some really good defense.”
Little Rock rallied early in the second half. After trailing by 14 with more than 18 minutes to play, the Trojans chipped away and eventually tied the game at 42 with just over 14 minutes remaining.
Later, Little Rock grabbed its first lead of the game when Johnathan Lawson scored to give the Trojans a 50-49 advantage with seven minutes left. Lawson finished with 17 points to lead Little Rock, while Cameron Wallace added 15 and Kachi Nzeh posted 14 points and 11 rebounds before fouling out late in the contest.
Lindenwood quickly responded. Jones answered Little Rock’s go-ahead basket with a layup on the next possession to reclaim the lead, and a key defensive play by Williams sparked a momentum shift.
Williams blocked a shot near the top of the key, igniting a fast break that ended with a layup from Clayton Jackson to extend the Lions’ advantage to 53-50 with just over five minutes remaining.
From that point forward, Lindenwood controlled the game from the free-throw line. The Lions made 15 of their final 16 attempts, with Nenadic accounting for 12 of those points to seal the win.
Gerdeman said his team’s composure after losing the lead was the defining moment of the game.
“I think you saw a little bit of everything in tonight’s game — really a March tournament game,” Gerdeman said when reflecting on Lindenwood regaining control late. “A big lead, it evaporates. They take the lead. You come back and figure out a way to win. Our guys wavered a little bit but never really broke.”
He credited defense and rebounding for stabilizing the Lions during Little Rock’s second-half surge.
“When things started going against us, I thought our defense and our rebounding really saved us,” Gerdeman said when asked about the team’s response after falling behind. “Our offense was kind of sporadic at times, but we just continued to guard. Those things are hard to do when you’re losing the lead.”
Jones’ double-double was his 10th of the season, tying the program’s Division I-era record previously held by Romelo Burrell.
The senior forward said the team focused on maintaining a one-game-at-a-time approach entering the tournament.
“I’ve been here before, and I know how important the first game always is,” Jones said when discussing the team’s mindset entering the tournament. “I told the team just take it one game at a time and be 1-0 every day. We got to the end with a chance to win, and we always plan on winning.”
Anias Futrell added four steals and four assists while helping anchor Lindenwood’s perimeter defense. The fifth-year guard, one of the team’s veteran leaders, emphasized that contributions extend beyond scoring.
“When I’m not on the floor, I can still impact the game in other ways,” Futrell said when asked about his leadership role during the game. “It’s about keeping everybody involved, not getting too high or too low, and always being present with the team.”
Futrell and Williams each recorded four steals as Lindenwood disrupted Little Rock’s offense throughout the game.
“They challenge us to be the best defenders in the league,” Futrell said when asked about the defensive mentality he and Williams bring to the backcourt. “We usually guard the best players on each team, so we just embrace that challenge.”
Lindenwood shot just 32.8% from the field but controlled the glass 48-35 and held the Trojans to 35.8% shooting and just 2-for-14 from three-point range.
The Lions will face No. 3 seed SEMO Redhawks in the OVC quarterfinals Thursday at 8:30 p.m.
Jones said the team’s focus will remain unchanged heading into the next round.
“It’s just another game we’ve got to win,” Jones said when asked about facing SEMO in the quarterfinals. “We’re just staying locked in and taking it one game at a time.”
