The Lindenwood men’s basketball team (3-4) earned a thrilling 77-76 win over Idaho State (1-4) in overtime as Chris Childs knocked down the game-winning shot on Wednesday night inside Hyland Arena in St. Charles, Mo.
GAME OVERVIEW
The Lions went back-and-forth with the Bengals early, but Idaho State took an eight-point lead at the 13:04 mark of the first half. Lindenwood quickly cut into the deficit, and at the 8:36 mark Childs put the Lions in front 18-17. The Lions rolled on the offensive end, taking a 28-17 advantage with less than five minutes remaining. Childs put Lindenwood ahead by a 32-17 margin in the final minute to take a 15-pont lead into the break.
Lindenwood attacked the paint to outscore the Bengals 16-6 down low, while holding Idaho State to just 3-of-19 shooting from behind the arc in the first 20 minutes. The Lions pulled down 27 rebounds and shot 46.4 percent from the field to hold the halftime lead.
Lindenwood continued to find its groove on offense, as a three-point bucket by Childs gave the Lions a 40-21 lead less than three minutes into the second half. Cam Burrell made a layup with 13:24 to go in the second frame, as the Lions held a 21-point advantage. However, Idaho State caught fire from long range. The Bengals climbed all the way back to tie the game at 61-61 with 5:25 to go in regulation, creating a new ballgame.
Idaho State took a three-point lead less than a minute later, but the Lions stayed poised. With the Lions down by two points, Burrell made two key free throws with 44 seconds to tie the game at 68-68 to send the game into overtime. Kevin Caldwell Jr. was a smooth 6-of-10 from the field in the second half, while Childs made all three of his attempts from the floor.
The Bengals took a three-point lead, and had a chance to take a two-possession lead after a turnover. As Idaho State ran the floor, Caldwell Jr. made an outstanding blocked as he was undersized at the rim. Brandon Trimble grabbed the rebound and found Childs for the three-point bucket to tie the game at 71-71 with just 2:20 to go in overtime.
Idaho State again took a three-point advantage with 38 seconds remaining. On a loose ball, Burrell made a spectacular save to keep possession, and later made the layup to bring the Lions within one point. The Bengals missed both free throws with nine second to go, and Childs knocked down the mid-range jumper to give the Lions the one-point victory.
It was the first win inside Hyland Arena for the Lions over a NCAA Division I team since jumping to the next level. Lindenwood had contributions from all players in the game, as the Lions ended the game shooting 50.8 percent from the floor. Childs led the team with 23 points on 8-of-14 shooting, as he pulled down 10 rebounds for the double-double. Caldwell Jr. dropped 20 points, secured eight rebounds, and collected a key block. Burrell made big plays at key points in the game, ending the night with 19 points, seven rebounds, and three blocks. Burrell was 8-of-9 from the field, 1-of-1 from behind the arc, and made both of his free-throw attempts.
QUOTABLE
“What an awesome night for our players, I’m so happy for them,” said head coach Kyle Gerdeman. “We had a fantastic turnout from our St. Charles community and the surrounding area, it was just a fun atmosphere tonight. These guys are giving us everything they have, and they deserve to feel good tonight.”
GAME LEADERS
Chris Childs (23 PTS, 10 REB, 2 AST, 8-of-14 FG, 3-of-4 3FG)
Kevin Caldwell Jr. (20 PTS, 8 REB, 2 AST, 1 BLK, 9-of-19 FG)
Cam Burrell (19 PTS, 7 REB, 3 BLK, 1 STL, 8-of-9 FG)
Jacob Tracey (6 PTS, 7 REB, 1 AST, 1 STL)
UP NEXT
Lindenwood will head to Champaign, Ill. on Friday to take on Illinois at 8:00 p.m.
