ST. CHARLES, Mo. (Interstat) — In a game defined by offensive struggles and a decisive third-quarter surge, the Lindenwood Lions defeated the Oral Roberts Golden Eagles 76-65 in a non-conference women’s basketball game Thursday night at Robert F. Hyland Performance Arena.

A crowd of 536 watched as the Lions improved to 2-1 on the young season, while the Golden Eagles evened their record at 2-2.

The contest was a tale of two halves, with the first half featuring a tight, back-and-forth battle. Oral Roberts held an 18-19 lead after a first quarter characterized by early turnovers from both sides. Lindenwood’s Ellie Brueggemann and Brooke Coffey connected on early three-pointers to set the tone for the Lions, while Oral Roberts’ Jalei Oglesby and A’Maya Holton worked to keep pace in the paint.

The Golden Eagles maintained a narrow 30-33 lead at halftime, but the game’s momentum shifted dramatically in the third quarter. Lindenwood outscored Oral Roberts 24-16 in the period, seizing control with a more efficient offensive attack and capitalizing on Golden Eagle miscues. The Lions’ run was a collective effort, with key baskets from Gracie Kelsey, Aleshia Jones and Gracy Wernli stretching the lead.

Oral Roberts could not mount a sustained comeback in the fourth quarter, as Lindenwood consistently answered every Golden Eagle basket to secure the 11-point victory.

Brueggemann, a guard from Owasso, Oklahoma, was the catalyst for the Lions, orchestrating the offense with a team-high 18 points and a game-high seven assists in 29 minutes. Her backcourt partner, Aleshia Jones of Leavenworth, Kansas, provided a crucial spark, also scoring 14 points. In the frontcourt, Gracie Kelsey, a forward from Agency, Missouri, dominated inside, contributing 14 points and leveraging her 6-foot-2 frame to impact the game on both ends.

For Oral Roberts, the scoring load was carried by Jalei Oglesby. The guard from Howe, Oklahoma, poured in 18 points in 27 minutes. Anna Trusty of Greenwood, Arkansas, provided a strong presence with 14 points and a team-high 33 minutes on the court. Guard Ari Gordon from Plymouth, Minnesota, added 10 points and four assists.

Statistically, the game was closer than the final score indicated, but key differences proved decisive. Lindenwood was more effective from the free-throw line, converting 18 of 23 attempts compared to Oral Roberts’ 12 of 15. The Lions also won the battle on the offensive glass, grabbing 10 offensive rebounds to the Golden Eagles’ six, leading to critical second-chance opportunities.

Both teams struggled with ball security, combining for 37 turnovers. Lindenwood committed 19, while Oral Roberts was charged with 18. The Lions, however, were slightly more efficient with their possessions, posting an offensive rating of 98.8 points per 100 possessions, outperforming the Golden Eagles’ mark of 83.2.

The loss snaps a two-game winning streak for Oral Roberts, which had previously defeated Haskell and Friends before falling to Oklahoma State in its last outing. Lindenwood bounced back from a road loss to Baylor in its previous contest.

Looking ahead, Oral Roberts returns home to face Tulsa on Monday. Lindenwood will also be at home Monday, hosting Missouri-Kansas City.