Brett McMillan | Sports Editor

In the past, Lady Lions sophomore guard Marissa Lehnig’s family has

battled breast cancer, but last Thursday night at Hyland Arena during the Pink Zone

“Think Pink” Breast Cancer Awareness Night, it was Lindenwood University-Belleville

who had to battle Lehnig.

Lehnig had 22 points in 22 minutes going seven-for-10 from the floor, and five-

for-seven from beyond the arc during the Lady Lions [16-10] 90-72 win over the Lynx.

She said she had been thinking about putting together a big game the whole day.

“I’ve had two people in my family that have had breast cancer,” Lehnig said. “So it was more for them, and for my team.”

Its previous two games the team went 0-and-2 on an Oklahoma road trip that

losing to the University of Central Oklahoma, and Northeastern State University by a

combined score of 143-104.

Lindenwood did not shoot well than 38 percent during either game in

Oklahoma, but shot 63 percent from the floor against the Lynx making 35 of the 55

shots it attempted. The Lady Lions also hit 50 percent of their three pointers as well.

“[Winning] is proof that we work hard in practice,” sophomore forward Caroline

Bourlioux said. “It shows that being a team is the most important and working hard

also, so yeah that helps confidence, and even fun. We have fun.”

LU fell behind early in the game trailing six of the first eight minutes of the first

half.

There were 32 Lindenwood turnovers 15 of which were the result of Lynx

steals. Over its last three games the Lady Lions are averaging 26 turnovers per game.

During two of those three games the Lady Lions have had at least 30 turnovers.

“[In Oklahoma], we figured out how quick you’ve got to run your offense,

and tonight we ran our offense quicker, but we turned the ball over a lot, because we

got into too big of a hurry,” head coach Tony Francis said. “We want to be up tempo, but

not out of control. We have to make some turnovers, as ugly as it is, we have to make

some turnovers, so we can learn.”

Bourlioux had twelve first half points, and finished the game third overall in

scoring for the Lady Lions with 14 points. She trailed behind Lehnig, and junior guard

Morgan Harrington, who had 17 points.

Lindenwood had 20 assists as a team. Harrington had five by herself while

Bourlioux, and junior forward Sarah Schnieders each had three.

“[As the game progressed] we could read each other,” Lehnig said. “We knew

where someone was going. We knew who was having the game. Kind of fed off of each

other, and they kind of backed off a little bit I feel like. Not backed off, but didn’t really

get up on us.”

The Lynx had 11 first half offensive rebounds, but Lindenwood out-rebounded

them 40-to-30 overall, and 31-12 on defense.

Bourlioux tied for second on the team in rebounds with five. Schnieders

also had five while Harrington lead the Lady Lions with six.

Lynx senior center Ashley Will had a game high 25 points, and also was the

game’s leading rebounder with eight.

“She was really big, and I guess stronger than us, and she got a lot of rebounds

first half,” Bourlioux said. “I guess she had a lot during the second half [too], so we had

to work hard. Coach [Francis] told us to work hard on her.”

Francis said the win against LU-Belleville means the Lady Lions are in

contentions with the University of Central Oklahoma for the lead in the NCAA Div. II

independent conference standings. He said a win in his team’s next game versus

Oakland City University [Ind.] could clinch the Lady Lions a conference title.

“We’re trying not only to build, and become tougher, and better for Div. II, but we

want to keep that mentality of winning that we started last year,” Francis said. “So there

is a lot to play for going into Tuesday night.”