Game #5
Lindenwood (3-1, 0-0 OVC)
at Kansas City (2-3, 0-0 SL)
Match Information:
Date: Friday, Nov. 22, 2024
Location: Kansas City, Mo.
Venue: Swinney Center
Tip-Off: 7:00 p.m. CT
All-Time Series: First Meeting
Last Meeting: N/A
Live Stats: Stats
Live Video: Watch

Matchup
The Lindenwood women's basketball team hits the road after going a perfect 3-0 at home during their last home stretch. Lindenwood will battle cross-state rival Kansas City on Friday, Nov. 21st at 7:00 p.m. CT inside the Swinney Center. The Lions are off to their best-start since joining the Ohio Valley Conference with a 3-1 record.

Lindenwood is coming off a 71-69 overtime win during their last game against Evansville. The Lions were up by as many as 18 points in the third quarter before heading to OT. LU outscored the Aces 9-7 in overtime to pick up their third straight victory. Lindenwood is a perfect 2-0 against the Missouri Valley Conference this season.

The Roos are coached by third-year coach Dionnah Jackson-Durrett. During last season, Jackson-Durrett led UMKC to a 12-20 record including a trip to the Summit League tournament. This season, the Roos are averaging 59.4 ppg while shooting 41.7% from the floor. Lindenwood will look to capitalize on the Roos' 24.2 turnovers per game with LU scoring 16.5 ppg off turnovers.

Kansas City has two double-digit scorers coming into Friday's match including 13.0 ppg from Alayna Contreras. She is shooting 36.0% and 30.4% from behind the arc. In her last game, Contreras 12 points vs. Alabama A&M. She scored a season-high 29 points at Utah State.

Player to Watch
Justis Odom is coming off her best game of the season after dropping 14-points and 10-rebounds against Evansville in OT on Monday. It marked her first double-double of the season and first of her career at Lindenwood. She is currently second on the team in total rebounds with 27 and first in offensive rebounds with eight.

For the 2024-25 season, Odom is averaging 8.0 points per game while averaging 6.8 rebounds. She is shooting 41.4% from the floor and 72.7% from the line. Defensively she has three steals and has complied two blocks which leads the team.

OVC Preseason Rankings
The Ohio Valley Conference released their 2024-25 women's basketball preseason predicted order of finish earlier this off-season. Lindenwood was selected to finish seventh after going 7-21 a season ago and 5-13 in conference. 

Lindenwood received 81 points in the preseason poll which put them in seventh heading into the season. This marks the highest ranking for a Lindenwood women's basketball team in their three seasons in the league.

The defending OVC Champions Southern Indiana Screaming Eagle were selected to win the OVC after receiving 20 of the 22 first-place votes for a total of 200 points. UT Martin finished in second (180 points, 2 first-place votes) followed by Eastern Illinois (145) and Tennessee Tech (140). Little Rock rounds out the top five followed by Western Illinois, Lindenwood, SIUE, Morehead State, Tennessee State and SEMO.

The Ohio Valley Conference also selected two 'Players To Watch" from each OVC school to start the upcoming season. Brueggemann and newcomer Coffey were tabbed as Lindenwood's players to watch for the 2024-25 season.

Scouting Kansas City
Kansas City is currently 2-3 this season including an opening night win at Utah State by a final of 80-77. The Roos are currently on a two-game losing streak including loses to Ohio Valley Conference opponent Western Illinois and Alabama A&M who Lindenwood plays at home early in December.

The Roos average just under 60 points a night averaging 59.4. They currently allow 60.0 points to their opponents and have given up under 63 points in four straight games. They are shooting just 17.6% from three-point range and 59.3% from the foul line.

Head Coach: Amy Eagan
Eagan was named head coach of the Lindenwood women's basketball program on March 28, 2023.

In year one under Eagan, the Lions posted a 7-21 record. Lindenwood found itself in many close games, dropping eight contests by seven points or less. The black and gold led the OVC in turnover margin at +3.68. Ellie Brueggemann had an outstanding freshman campaign, averaging 13.8 points per game, which led to second team and all newcomer selections. Makayla Wallace set a new single season program record for steals with 72. She averaged 2.6 steals per game last season, tied for tops in the conference. It also ranked 24th nationally. 
 
Eagan arrives in St. Charles, Mo. after spending three seasons as the head coach of Drury University women's basketball.  Eagan completed her 14th season as a collegiate head coach, as she had stops at Truman State, Ashford, and St. Ambrose.
 
Eagan brings a career mark of 274-151 (.645) to Lindenwood, including four-straight seasons of 23 or more wins.  Eagan has led three schools to the NCAA Division II tournament for a total of five appearances, as well as one NAIA tournament appearance.  Eagan had claimed five conference titles in her 14 years, including three-straight.

Up Next
Lindenwood will take a trip to Oklahoma next Monday as they take on Oral Roberts on Monday, Nov. 25th at 5:00 p.m. CT. For more information go to lindenwoodlions.com.