Preview: Lindenwood Lions at Morehead State Eagles

HALDEMAN, Ky. (Interstat) — A pivotal Ohio Valley Conference women’s basketball matchup with potential postseason implications is set for Saturday when the Lindenwood Lions visit the Morehead State Eagles at E.T. Johnson Arena.

The Lions (16-6, 8-1 OVC) enter on a hot streak, having won seven of their last eight games. Their most recent outing was a narrow 69-67 road victory at Southern Indiana on Thursday, powered by 26 points from standout guard Ellie Brueggemann. Lindenwood’s only conference loss this season came by a single point, 51-50, to these same Eagles on Jan. 1.

Morehead State (13-9, 7-2 OVC) has also found its form, winning five of its last six contests. The Eagles grinded out a 64-60 home win over SIU Edwardsville on Thursday, led by another dominant performance from forward Kate Dike, who scored 26 points.

The showdown features two of the league’s top performers. Brueggemann, a dynamic playmaker for Lindenwood, is averaging 17.1 points and 4.1 assists over her last eight games, including a 26-point effort Thursday. For Morehead State, Dike has been a force, averaging 20.1 points and 6.6 rebounds in her last eight outings, highlighted by a 29-point, 10-rebound performance on Jan. 3.

The Jan. 1 meeting, a 51-50 Morehead State win in St. Charles, Missouri, suggests another tight, defensive battle is likely. In that game, neither team shot above 35% from the field.

Lindenwood’s conference success has been built on balance and defense, holding OVC opponents to an average of 60.2 points per game. Morehead State has relied heavily on Dike’s interior scoring and a defense that has allowed just 58.7 points per game during its current 5-1 run.

Saturday’s contest is a key opportunity for Morehead State to close the gap in the OVC standings and secure a season sweep, while Lindenwood aims to avenge its lone conference loss and solidify its hold on first place.

Tip-off is scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026.