Game #1
Lindenwood (0-0, 0-0 OVC)
at Kansas (0-0, 0-0 Big 12)
Match Information:
Date: Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024
Location: Lawrence, Kan.
Venue: Allen Fieldhouse
Tip-Off: 6:30 p.m. CT
All-Time Series: 0-0
Last Meeting: First Meeting
Live Stats: Stats
Live Video: Watch

Matchup
The Lindenwood women's basketball team starts their 2024-25 campaign with a trip to historic Allen Fieldhouse to take on the Jayhawks of Kansas on Wednesday, Nov. 6th at 6:30 p.m. CT. Lindenwood is in their third season in the Ohio Valley Conference and are in the middle of the NCAA Transition period to Division I.

This marks the first time these two squads will be matched-up against each other and only the third time the Lions have played a Power Four school (Cincinnati and Minnesota). Lindenwood will also take on Nebraska later during their non-conference schedule.

Head coach Amy Eagan returns a core group from last year including OVC Preseason Player to Watch Ellie Brueggemann. Lindenwood returns nine players from the 2023-24 season where Eagan posted a 7-21 record during her first season at the helm.

The Lions are brought in some new faces including hometown prospect Brooke Coffey who played at Illinois State during her freshman season. Coffey is a native of St. Charles, Mo. and played at Incarnate Word Academy. Mariah Stewart and Gracy Wernli are also Division I transfers from Louisiana Lafayette and Abilene Christian.

Kansas is coached by Brandon Schneider who enters his 10th season. Schneider's accolades include being named the Big 12 Coach of the Year in 2022 and winning the WNIT Championship in 2023. Last season the Jayhawks went 20-13 and earned a spot in the NCAA Tournament where they had an opening round victory against Michigan in overtime.

Player to Watch
Alyssa Nielsen returns to St. Charles, Mo. after playing the fifth most minutes of the team a season ago in just her freshman season. Four of the Lions top five players in minutes played last season were freshman and return under coach Eagan.

Nielsen averaged 8.2 points per game in 2023-24 while grabbing 3.5 rebounds per game. She also dished out 34 assists, created 17 steals and added seven blocks. Nielsen had nine double-digit scoring efforts last year including a season-high 18 points vs. Tennessee Tech. She shot 47.9% from the field last season and 24.2% from three.

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
The Jayhawks return their leading scorer from a season ago in S'Mya Nichols who averaged 15.4 points per game which ranked 10th in the Big 12. Nichols had 29 games of double-figure scoring including a season-high 29 against the Sooners of Oklahoma. She ended the year scoring eight straight games with 10+ points.

Elle Evans enter her first season at Kansas and is a native of Edwardsville, Ill. Played two seasons at North Dakota State University, where she was named First Team All-Summit League as a sophomore. Evans averaged 14.5 points, 4.9 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 1.2 blocks and 1.1 steals per game during the 2023-24 season and was named to the College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District Team.

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 start a three-game home stretch on Tuesday, Nov. 12th when they take on Bradley University inside Hyland Arena. Tip-off is set for 6:00 p.m. CT. For more information go to lindenwoodlions.com.