SAINT CHARLES, Mo. (Interstat) — A surging Western Illinois women’s basketball team, boasting one of the nation’s best records, puts its eight-game winning streak on the line Thursday night against a Lindenwood squad looking to defend its home court.

The Ohio Valley Conference matchup at Robert F. Hyland Performance Arena pits the Western Illinois Leathernecks (8-1) against the Lindenwood Lions (7-3). Tipoff is set for Dec. 18, 2025.

Western Illinois enters with formidable momentum, having won eight straight since a season-opening road loss to then-Iowa. The Leathernecks are coming off a dominant 90-41 victory over Omaha on Saturday, where their defense held an opponent under 42 points for the third time during the streak.

A key catalyst for the Leathernecks is guard Allie Meadows. She scored a team-high 18 points in the win over Omaha and has been a consistent contributor, including a 15-point performance in a key road win at Drake on Dec. 7.

Lindenwood aims to rebound from a 102-68 loss at Iowa this past Saturday. The Lions had won three straight prior to that, including an impressive 68-52 road victory at Drake. Guard Ellie Brueggemann leads the Lions’ backcourt, pouring in 17 points against Iowa and averaging double figures over her last five games.

The Lions will rely on their home-court advantage, where they are 3-0 this season, including a 107-23 rout of Harris-Stowe on Nov. 5. Western Illinois has proven effective on the road, with wins at Northern Illinois and Drake.

This contest marks the early conference opener for both teams, setting the tone for their OVC schedules. Western Illinois’s high-scoring offense, which averages 80.2 points per game, will be tested by a Lindenwood defense that has shown resilience, holding four opponents under 60 points this season.

The game will be a battle between Western Illinois’s winning streak and Lindenwood’s perfect home record.