Lindenwood Lions Basketball

Excitement Turns to Hard Work

(St. Louis, MO) – When Lindenwood University athletes learned their athletic program was moving to Division 1 status and joining the Ohio Valley Conference, they were downright giddy. They had been promoted individually and collectively. Now that excitement turns to hard work.

The buzz on the Lindenwood campus (St. Charles, Missouri) is tangible. Basketball players are pumped up and doing extra work. The football team is playing, and winning before larger crowds than they’ve ever seen and the corporate response has been encouraging.

Basketball coach Kyle Gerdeman sees that energy in his players, in the athletic offices and when his phone rings more often than before. There is something fresh and exciting at Lindenwood, but as practices are officially underway, excitement turns to hard work.

As Gerdeman enters his fourth season as the leader of the Lions’ pride, it is his first as a D1 head coach. He worked seven seasons as an assistant at Central Michigan. During Gerdeman’s seven year stay, the Chippewas compiled a record of 121-108. His resume includes an assistant role at the OVC’s Southeast Missouri.

Last year’s team was 12-17.

Transition and Building a Roster

Gerdeman’s roster includes eleven new players and an additional assistant coach. Upgrading the talent level in the offseason was priority number one. People in the basketball world had to learn that Lindenwood was a Division 1 program.

It wasn’t an easy transition. While many teams recruited heavily from the transfer portal, Gerdeman found his players more from the junior college ranks. While summer work outs were beginning, the LU staff was still recruiting. Gerdeman says getting the word out about their ‘new-look’ program was essential.

 

 

Once the players made it to the beautiful St. Charles, Missouri campus, teaching became the staff’s top priority. The demands of playing D1 teams every night means excitement turns to hard work. Gerdeman and assistants Tommy Abdenour, Anthony Beane and Kyle Campbell are putting in systems, terminology and learning about their players as much as the players are learning about Lindenwood.

During so much national roster fluidity Gerdeman believes teaching is his chief goal.

 

 

Senior Leadership

Massive turnover is muted by the senior leadership provided by returners Kevin Caldwell Junior and Brandon Trimble. The senior guards begin their third seasons playing for LU and are excited about playing a Division 1 schedule.

Trimble is a lights out three-point shooter (.441 last season) and Caldwell can play a variety of ways. Last year he buried 53 triples, averaged four rebounds and led the Lions with 3.1 assists per game. Those two don’t miss free throws. Trimble’s two-year charity stripe percentage is .922 and Caldwell’s is .838.

Gerdeman says they are currently his coaches on the floor.

 

 

While the excitement turns to hard work Trimble says he and his teammates are ready for the challenge. The large numbers of newcomers has made the offseason more difficult, but he says the team is meshing well.

 

 

Caldwell echos those sentiments, but knows that he has a huge leadership role. He believes he needs to teach his new teammates the nuances of the college game. Keenon Cole and Cam Burrell each have D1 experience and Caldwell says the two, 6’7 forwards will have to ‘play big’.

 

 

New Look Roster

Cole played in 19 games over two seasons at Northern Illinois and Burrell has participated in 72 D1 contests, split between one season at the OVC’s Eastern Illinois and two at Western Illinois. 6’3 guard Darius Beane (coach’s son) is joining his fourth D1 program.

Beane has appeared 103 games and started 32. He has accumulated over 600 career points while playing at Southern Illinois, Northern Illinois and Cal State Bakersfield. His experience will be invaluable.

Chris Childs previously played at Bryant and late signee Jacob Tracy (Indian Hills State College) have been impressive in early season work outs. Tommie Williams (Belleville West), Raynard Horry (Fort Zumwalt West) and Devion Harris (Parkway Central) are freshmen from the surrounding areas.

Year one in the Ohio Valley will not be easy and coach Gerdeman didn’t take it easy in the non-conference. They open at Dayton and after a home game with an NAIA foe, they travel to Missouri to take on the Tigers. The Lions play in the McNeese State MTE and also have games with Illinois and BYU prior to OVC play.

Gerdeman wants his players to have the full Division 1 experience. Games against Lamar, McNeese State, Western Carollina and Idaho State and Kansas City will also give them a gauge as to how they compete with mid and low major programs.

When the excitement turns to hard work that’s when this all becomes real for the Lindenwood Lions. The team’s first OVC game will be on the road at Eastern Illinois and its first home conference game will be New Year’s Eve against Tennessee Tech.

By New Year’s Day, Kyle Gerdeman will have a good idea how his team is fitting in at the Division 1 level.

Do Good