The Lindenwood women's basketball team (3-13, 1-5 OVC) fell by a score of 68-60 to Eastern Illinois (7-12, 4-2 OVC) on Saturday afternoon in St. Charles, Mo.
 
GAME OVERVIEW
It was a slow start offensively for the Lions as they trailed 11-4 at the first media. Lindenwood finished the first quarter on a mini 6-0 run with a pair of and-1 finishes from Mykayla Cunningham and Mya Skoff, but they trailed 11-10 heading to the second,

Neither team trailed by more than three in a tightly contested second quarter. After a Kaylen Evans three at the 3:50 mark, the Lions trailed 22-21. Lindenwood was able to tie the game at 26-26 with less than two minutes to go, but the Panthers scored the last three points of the half to take a 29-26 lead into the locker room. Cunningham finished the half with a team-high seven points, while Skoff added five.

Eastern Illinois took a five-point lead twice in the third quarter and the Lions had an answer each time. Trailing 36-31, Lindenwood made two-straight field goals to knot things up at 36-36 with just under five minutes to go in the quarter. The black and gold used a 7-2 run, capped off by an Ellie Bruggemann three to take their largest lead at 43-38. Brueggemann finished with seven points in the quarter, while the Lions forced 10 turnovers on the defensive end as they would lead 47-43 after three.

Skoff began the third quarter with a three to put Lindenwood up 50-43. EIU battled its way back into the game and cut the deficit to 58-57 with just over three minutes to go in the game. EIU took control of the game with a 12-4 run down the stretch, and they would earn the 68-60 victory.

GAME LEADERS
Mykayla Cunningham (17 points, three assists, two steals)
Ellie Brueggemann (11 points, three rebounds)
Justis Odom (six points, seven rebounds)

UP NEXT
The Lions will head to Little Rock, Ark. for a matchup with Little Rock on Thursday, January 25. Tip-off is scheduled for 11:30 a.m.