Three Nationally Ranked Teams to Play at Lyon Saturday

Courtesy Lyon College Athletics Department

BATESVILLE, Ark. – There will be a lot on the line Saturday afternoon when the Lyon College men and women’s basketball teams host Columbia College in a pair of key American Midwest Conference matchups on the hardwood. 

Action will get underway at 2 p.m. in James C. Becknell Gymnasium, as the 15th-ranked Lyon College women host the 28th-ranked Columbia College squad, with sole possession of first place in the conference standings at stake for the winner. That game will be followed by the Lyon men hosting No. 1-ranked and unbeaten Columbia at 4 p.m.

Both games will live audio via the Internet. Click HERE to listen to the games live. Live Stats will also be available. Click HERE for the updated women’s stats during the game and click HERE for the men’s stats. 

3 ranked teams in action at Lyon College Saturday

15th-ranked LC women host 28th-ranked Columbia; Cougar men are No. 1

WOMEN’S GAME

The hottest women’s teams in the American Midwest Conference will tangle in round one of the league race as Lyon College brings a 16-2 season mark and a spotless 6-0 AMC record into the contest. The Scots have won their last seven games and 12 of their last 13. The Lady Cougars are 13-5 on the year and a perfect 6-0 in league play. Columbia has won its last nine games.

As a team, the Scots rank in the top 50 in 16 separate statistical categories. Lyon ranks 14th in total rebounds allowed per game (33.44), 22nd in field goal percentage (42.2%), 24th in scoring margin (+13.0 ppg.), 24th in turnover margin (+3.6), 24th in three-point field goal percentage (32.5%), 25th in scoring defense per game (57.5%) and 25th in total points scored this season (1,269), among others.

Suzanne Fincham leads LC in scoring, throwing in 11.63 points per game. The Royal, Ark. product is followed by senior Debbie Onukwube (11.56) and senior Phagen Altom (11.44). 

Four different Scots are averaging more than five rebounds per game. Sophomore Whitney Keith is pulling down 5.72 rebounds per game, followed by Fincham (5.63), Altom (5.61) and Onukwube (5.17).

Columbia ranks in the top 50 in 21 categories, including 11th in scoring offense per game (74.7), 14th in total blocks (69) and 16th in blocks per game (3.83) and field goal percentage allowed (35.2%). 

Lily Abreu leads the Lady Cougars in scoring, averaging 15.4 points per game. She is followed by Heather English (15.2) and Julie Teeple (10.1) in the category. Teeple is also the leading rebounder on the squad with a 6.89 average, followed by English, who is puling down 4.3 boards per contest.

MEN’S GAME

The Lyon College men’s basketball team has won its last two games and will try to make it three in a row when the Scots (5-12) put their 2-4 AMC record on the line against the top-ranked Cougars (19-0, 5-0 AMC). 

Lyon’s Marcus Humose currently ranks 20th in NAIA Division I in free throw percentage (83.1%) and 48th in points per game (16.28). Jordan Layrock is 49 in blocks per game (0.94). 

Humose is the leading scorer for the Scots, throwing in 16.3 points per game. Kendall Leeks is second on the squad with an 11.0 mark, with Devonte Young third with a 9.5 points per game average. 

Leeks the leading rebounder for LC, pulling down 5.5 rebounds per game, with Layrock second at 5.3.

Columbia College is in the top 10 in 15 team categories. The Cougars are No. 1 in scoring defense per game (55.95) and field goal percentage (52.6%), No. 2 in assist/turnover ratio (1.46), scoring margin (+27.1) and defensive field goal percentage (37.3%), No. 3 in rebounding margin (+9.79) and fourth in defensive rebounds per game (29.84).

Jordan Dressler ranks No. 5 in field goal percentage (63.4%), Chantel Stanciel is 11th in assist/turnover ratio (2.75) and Zach Rockers is 15th in three-point field goal percentage (46.2%) and Dressler is 15th in total blocks (22). 

Devin Griffin leads Columbia in scoring, with a 13.6 average, with Dressler second at 13.4, Derrick Dilworth third at 10.9 and Rockers fourth at 10.4.

Dressler leads the team in rebounding, pulling down 7.2 per game, with Marquette Murrell second at 5.3.