Lindenwood’s top returning scorer, forward Romelo Burrell, will lead the Lions into their season opener Friday night at Hyland Arena against Wisconsin-Parkside. (Photo courtesy: Lindenwood Athletics)
Lindenwood Men’s Basketball – Gameday Info
Game No. 1 – Wisconsin-Parkside (0-0) at Lindenwood (0-0)
Date/Time – Friday, November 12 – 7 pm
Location – Hyland Arena – St. Charles, MO
Broadcast – GLVC Sports Network
Radio – KCLC 89.1 The Wood
by Cedric Williams
Senior Editor
The 2021-22 men’s college basketball season will begin Friday night, for Lindenwood University, which will host the annual Lindenwood Tipoff Classic at Hyland Arena in St. Charles.
The Lions will play two games this weekend, Friday against Wisconside-Parkside, and Saturday against Kentucky Wesleyan, with Great Lakes Valley Conference foe Illinois-Springfield also participating and playing those teams as well. The two UIS games will begin at 5 p.m. both nights and the two Lindenwood games will begin at 7 p.m.
Lindenwood expects to be a high-flying and high-scoring club this year, with four of its top six scorers returning from a team that went 10-10 last year. The Lions are also excited about the four new transfers they added, including former Alabama State standout and 2018 SWAC Freshman of the Year, Jacoby Ross.
Wisconsin-Parkside went 9-10 in a season marred by injuries last year. At one point, the Rangers were 8-4 on the season and tied for first place in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.
Unfortunately for Parkside though, it went 1-6 in its final seven games and had its season end in the first round of the GLIAC Tournament.
Players to Watch: The Lions will be led on the floor by a pair of potential dynamic scorers in senior forward Romelo Burrell and junior guard Brandon Trimble. Burrell was Lindenwood’s third leading scorer last season at 12.3 points per game, and Trimble was right behind, averaging 12.0 points per game.
Burrell is also the Lions’ top leading rebounder, at 6.6 boards per game.
But what really makes that duo exciting is their three-point shooting. Burrell hit 38.5 percent of his threes last season, and Trimble, who begin his collegiate career at Wisconsin-Parkside before transferring to Lindenwood before last season, is one of the top returning three-point shooters in the country, with a 44.3 percent average from beyond the arc last year.
Also back for the Lions this year are senior forward Anthony Christian (10.8 points per game and 5.7 rebounds per game last year), and junior point guard Kevin Caldwell, Jr. (7.9 points per game and 40 assists last season).
Wisconsin-Parkside is led by its senior backcourt of Tray Croft and Ramar Evans. Croft led the Rangers, and was third in the GLIAC, in scoring last year at 15.3 points per game. And Evans was fourth in the conference in both assists and steals, with 63 assists and 24 steals.
UWP also has a talented big man in 6-foot-8 redshirt freshman, Colin O’Rourke. Last year, he average 8.7 points and 6.6 rebounds per game, and led the Rangers with 16 blocked shots, on his way to being named the GLIAC Freshman of the Year.
Up Next: After Lindenwood plays Kentucky Wesleyan on Saturday, it will host the St. Louis College of Health Sciences & Pharmacy on Wednesday, November 17, before heading out for its first road game, next Saturday, November 20, against Christian Brothers University in Memphis, Tenn.
| Lindenwood Men’s Basketball Upcoming Schedule |
| Fri., November 12 — vs. Wisconsin-Parkside — 7 pm |
| Sat., November 13 — vs. Kentucky Wesleyan — 7 pm |
| Wed., November 17 — vs. STL College of Health Sciences — 7:30 pm |
| Sat., November 20 — at Christian Brothers — 3 pm |
| Tue., November 23 — vs. Westminster — 7 pm |
| Mon., November 29 — vs. Maryville — 7:30 pm |
| Thu., December 2 — vs. Quincy — 7:30 pm |
| Sat., December 4 — vs. UMSL — 3 pm |
| All Lindenwood home basketball games will be played at Hyland Arena. |