ST. CHARLES, Mo. (Interstat) — The Lindenwood Lions used a dominant third-quarter surge to overcome the Oral Roberts Golden Eagles and secure a 76-65 victory in a non-conference women’s basketball game on Thursday night at Robert F. Hyland Performance Arena.

In a contest defined by turnovers and defensive pressure, the Lions outscored the Golden Eagles 24-16 in the pivotal third period to turn a narrow two-point halftime advantage into a double-digit lead they would not relinquish. Lindenwood improved its record to 2-1, while Oral Roberts fell to an even 2-2.

Ellie Brueggemann, a guard from Owasso, Oklahoma, orchestrated the Lions’ offense with a game-high 18 points and seven assists. Her backcourt partner, Aleshia Jones of Leavenworth, Kansas, provided a critical spark off the bench, also scoring 18 points, including a clutch trio of free throws in the final minutes to help seal the victory. Forward Gracie Kelsey from Agency, Missouri, added 14 points and was a force on the interior for Lindenwood.

The Golden Eagles were led by Jalei Oglesby, a guard from Howe, Oklahoma, who scored 18 points. Teammates Anna Trusty of Greenwood, Arkansas, and Ari Gordon of Plymouth, Minnesota, contributed 14 and 10 points, respectively. Guard Gentry Baldwin from Bixby, Oklahoma, facilitated the offense with six assists.

The game was a sloppy affair from the start, with both teams struggling to maintain possession. Lindenwood committed 19 turnovers, but Oral Roberts was even more charitable, giving the ball away 18 times. The Lions capitalized slightly better on these opportunities, recording 10 steals to the Golden Eagles’ nine.

While the shooting percentages from the field were nearly identical—Lindenwood shot 45.6% to Oral Roberts’ 40.7%—the Lions found more success at the free-throw line. Lindenwood made 18 of 23 attempts, a 78.3% clip, compared to Oral Roberts’ 12 of 15, or 80%. The Lions also controlled the glass, grabbing 10 offensive rebounds to the Golden Eagles’ six, which led to 13 second-chance points.

Oral Roberts started strong, holding an 18-19 lead after a tightly contested first quarter. The Lions managed a slim 33-30 lead at halftime before their third-quarter explosion created the necessary separation. The Golden Eagles mounted a late challenge, cutting the deficit to nine points with just over two minutes remaining, but timely free throws from Jones and Brueggemann kept them at bay.

The announced attendance was 536. Oral Roberts will look to rebound at home against Tulsa on Monday. Lindenwood also returns to action on Monday, hosting Missouri-Kansas City.