HALDEMAN, Ky. (Interstat) — In a game defined by a frantic final minute and a decisive trip to the free-throw line, Anias Futrell scored 26 points, including two free throws with three seconds remaining, to lift Lindenwood to a 79-78 victory over Morehead State in an Ohio Valley Conference men’s basketball thriller on Saturday afternoon at E.T. Johnson Arena.

The Lions, who led for only 4 minutes and 22 seconds of game time, overcame a late four-point deficit and a staggering 16 turnovers to complete a regular-season sweep of the Eagles and improve to 14-9 overall. Morehead State fell to 12-11.

The most critical sequence unfolded in the final 12 seconds. With Lindenwood trailing 78-77, Morehead State’s George Marshall was fouled and sent to the line for a one-and-one. He missed the front end, and Lindenwood secured the rebound. The Lions quickly advanced the ball and Mekhi Cooper was fouled by Chase Dawson with nine seconds left. Cooper calmly sank both free throws to put Lindenwood ahead 79-78.

On the ensuing inbound play, Morehead State’s Davion Cunningham was called for a foul on Futrell, sending the Lindenwood star to the line. Futrell, a 6-foot-5 junior from St. Louis, Missouri, knocked down both attempts to extend the lead to three points. Morehead State’s final desperation heave was off the mark as time expired.

The ending capped a remarkable comeback for the visitors, who trailed 76-72 with just over a minute to play. Milos Nenadic, who finished with 21 points and seven rebounds, hit a pair of free throws to cut the deficit to two. After an Anouar Mellouk hook shot pushed the Eagles’ lead back to four, Lindenwood answered with a Nenadic layup and then forced the crucial missed free throw that set up the final drama.

The game was a stark contrast in styles and efficiency. Morehead State, despite committing only eight turnovers and posting a superior offensive rating of 111.0, was undone by poor three-point shooting, connecting on just 5 of 16 attempts from beyond the arc. Lindenwood, meanwhile, survived its own carelessness with the ball by shooting 45.8% from three-point range, making 11 of 24, and winning the fastbreak points battle 15-8.

Futrell’s performance was all-around dominant, adding nine rebounds, two assists and three blocks in 40 minutes of action. His late free throws were the culmination of a strong stretch of games for the wing player. Dontrez Williams contributed 18 points and seven rebounds for the Lions, while Cooper orchestrated the offense with 14 points and eight assists.

Morehead State’s effort was led by a balanced attack. Chase Dawson scored 16 points, George Marshall added 14, and Anouar Mellouk posted a near double-double with 10 points, nine rebounds and two assists. Jon Carroll also chipped in nine points and eight rebounds. The Eagles dominated points in the paint, 34-26, but could not overcome their perimeter shooting woes or contain Lindenwood’s late-game execution.

The first half set the stage for the tight finish, with Morehead State taking a 39-36 lead into the break behind 54.8% shooting from the field. Lindenwood stayed close thanks to 7-of-15 shooting from three-point range, including three from Futrell.

Lindenwood, which entered the game as a narrow two-point favorite according to pregame betting lines, defied the Interstat ELO system projection that gave Morehead State a 64.5% probability to win. The combined score of 157 points surpassed the over/under line of 151.

A crowd of 1,177 watched as the Lions secured their second win over the Eagles this season, having previously defeated them 77-64 on Jan. 1. Lindenwood will next host SIU Edwardsville on Tuesday. Morehead State travels to face Southeast Missouri State on Thursday.