Lindenwood University Men's Basketball

Kyle Gerdeman is entering his seventh year at the helm of the Lindenwood men’s basketball program in 2025-26. Gerdeman coached Lindenwood to their best Division I season in program history after finishing with a 16-17 record and a 10-10 OVC record during the 2024-25 season. The Lions captured their first win at the OVC Championships with a 73-65 win over #7 Morehead State. Gerdeman coached the Lions to their most wins since the 2018-19 season and their most conference wins since the 2020-21 season. Lindenwood boasted the third best turnover margin in the OVC with a 2.09. The Lions forced teams into 484 turnovers which ranked the second most by a team in the conference. Gerdeman coached a team that ranked second in blocked shots per game (4.03) and third in steals per game with an averaged of 8.39. During the 2024-25 season, Gerdeman coached OVC Freshman of the Year and All-OVC Second Team Selection Jadis Jones. Jones was selected as the OVC Freshman of the Week 12 times breaking a 22-year-old OVC record. Gerdeman also led Markeith Browning II to an All-OVC Second Team Selection. During the 2023-24 season, Gerdeman coached Keenon Cole to second team all-conference honors. The Stremwood, Ill.native averaged 18.1 points per game, which ranked fourth in the OVC. Cole poured in a career-high 42 points in a 74-68 road win over SEMO on January 11. For his performance, Cole was tabbed the OVC Player of the Week as well as being recognized as one of the Oscar Robertson National Players of the Week.    In 2022-23, Lindenwood earned a spot in the OVC Championship tournament after a wild ending to the year.  The Lions took down in-state rival Southeast Missouri State in double-overtime to keep their postseason hopes alive.  In the final game of the regular season, Lindenwood needed a win to move on, and Kevin Caldwell Jr. answered the call with a game-winning bucket in overtime.   Lindenwood led the OVC in free-throw percentage (75.6), and was second in the OVC in three-point percentage (39.1).  Chris Childs held the top spot in the league with a free-throw percentage of 92.7, while Keenon Cole was atop the OVC with a three-point percentage of 51.0 percent.  The Lions clawed their way to three overtime wins on the season.  Lindenwood also posted two comeback victories from 20 points down, and another 17-point comeback during OVC play.   In his first three seasons at Lindenwood, the Lions were known as a high-powered offensive squad.  In 2020-21, Lindenwood led the league in points per game (81.9) and free-throw percentage (80.1) as a team.  The Lions were led by TJ Crockett who was named a D2CCA All-American as he was one of the nation’s leading scorers across all levels of collegiate basketball.  Crockett was recognized as an NABC all-district performer, as he was third in the nation with his 550 points at the time he received the award.  In April of 2021, Crockett took second-place State Farm College Slam Dunk & 3-Point Championships. During his time at Lindenwood, Gerdeman has coached four players who have made their way to a professional level of basketball.  TJ Crockett (Bochum in Germany), Romelo Burrell (Dinamo in Croatia), Jacoby Ross (Sutjeska in Montenegro), and Brandon Suggs (Serhedci in Azerbaijan).   Gerdeman came to Lindenwood after spending seven seasons at Central Michigan, playing an integral part in the Chippewas success on and off the court. The Chippewas reached the Mid-American Conference Tournament semifinals in 2018-19, finishing the season with a 23-12 record. Over the last five years, the team never had a losing season, including three seasons with at least 20 wins. Over his seven seasons at Central Michigan, the Chippewas posted a 121-108 record (.528).   Off the court, Gerdeman oversaw the program’s academic success, which took major strides under his direction. During his tenure at Central Michigan, 19 Chippewas earned Academic All-MAC honors and from 2014-16 the program placed more student-athletes on the academic honor roll than any other institution in the conference.   Prior to his arrival at Central Michigan, Gerdeman spent three years as an assistant coach at Southeast Missouri State, which was preceded by three years as the head coach at Moberly Area Community College (Mo.).   Gerdeman, a native of Wright City, Mo. totaled a combined nine seasons serving as an assistant coach at Mineral (Mo.) Area College, at Moberly, and at East Central College (Mo.).   Gerdeman holds an undergraduate degree from Southeast Missouri State University and a master's degree in education from Central Methodist University.  Gerdeman is married to his wife Angela.  They have three children, Alyssa, Karson, and Harper.

Justin Walker enters his second season as an assistant coach on the Lindenwood men's basketball staff in 2025-26.  Under the guidance of Walker, Lindenwood posted their most wins since the 2018-19 season and their most conference wins since the 2020-21 season. The Lions boasted the third best turnover margin in the OVC with a 2.09. Lindenwood forced teams into 484 turnovers which ranked the second most by a team in the conference. OVC Freshman of the Year and All-OVC Second Team Selection Jadis Jones was selected as the OVC Freshman of the Week 12 times breaking a 22-year-old OVC record. Markieth Browning II was also named to the All-OVC Second Team   Walker joins the Lions' staff after one season at Wabash Valley College where he helped the Warriors to a 17-11 record and a 10-6 conference record. During his tenure, the Warriors made it to the District Tournament Championship before losing to Vincennes University. Prior to his time at Wabash Valley, Walker was on the staff at fellow Ohio Valley Conference member Eastern Illinois for two seasons. During his tenure, he helped the Panthers transform their lineup under then new head coach Marty Simmons with nine new players. EIU also had 16 starting lineups during that first season, the fifth most in Division I.   Walker was the head coach at Bloomington High School from 2019-21. He was on the Southern Illinois coaching staff for five years prior to Bloomington. Under head coach Barry Hinson, Walker was an assistant coach for two years. He also worked as the Director of Operation for two seasons and was a graduate assistant for one season.   In 2010, Walker earned a Bachelor's Degree at Carthage College before receiving his second Bachelor's Degree from Eastern Illinois in 2012.

Jestin Anderson begins his second season as an assistant coach on the Lindenwood men's basketball staff in 2025-26.  Under the guidance of Anderson, Lindenwood posted their most wins since the 2018-19 season and their most conference wins since the 2020-21 season. The Lions boasted the third best turnover margin in the OVC with a 2.09. Lindenwood forced teams into 484 turnovers which ranked the second most by a team in the conference. OVC Freshman of the Year and All-OVC Second Team Selection Jadis Jones was selected as the OVC Freshman of the Week 12 times breaking a 22-year-old OVC record. Markieth Browning II was also named to the All-OVC Second Team   Anderson joins Lindenwood University after four years at nearby Maryville University. During the 2022-23 season, Anderson was promoted to Associate head coach. At Maryville, he helped the Saints to a 16-12 record including a 9-11 record in the GLVC during the 2022-23 season. Before his time at Maryville, Anderson worked at new-OVC member Western Illinois for four seasons while they were in the Summit League. Anderson helped coach Garret Covington to four straight All-Summit League honors. He helped the Leathernecks to the Summit League Tournament during his first season as an assistant coach.   Anderson worked three seasons at Quincy University where he was a vital part of their operation working on recruiting, scouting and player development. He also made stops at Pratt Community College (Kan.) and Lake Land College (Ill.). Anderson began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Quincy.   In a Quincy Hawks uniform, Anderson played 100 games from 2002-06 where he helped the Hawks qualify for two NCAA Tournament appearances. Originally from DeKalb, Ill., he graduated from Quincy in 2006 with a Bachelor of Science degree in management and earned his Master's in Business Administration in 2008 from Quincy.