Game #15
Lindenwood (8-6, 4-1 OVC)
vs. UT Martin (6-10, 3-2 OVC)
Match Information:
Date: Saturday, Jan. 11th, 2025
Location: St. Charles, Mo.
Venue: Robert F. Hyland Arena
Tip-Off: 1:00 p.m. CT
All-Time Series: 2-1
Last Meeting: L, 56-65
Live Stats: Stats
Live Video: Watch

Matchup
Lindenwood women's basketball will have a battle with the Skyhawks of UT Martin on Saturday, Jan. 11th at 1:00 p.m. CT inside Hyland Arena. The Lions have started 4-1 in Ohio Valley Conference play, their best start in conference play since the 2021-22 season when they were still Division II. Their eight wins this season also mark the most in the Division I era. 

Coming into Saturday's game, the Lions are coming off a 68-54 victory over the Lady Tigers of Tennessee State. Lindenwood shot 47.8% from the field in the victory while shooting 43.6% from three-point range. Ellie Brueggemann went 4-6 from behind the arc where she scored a team-high 14 points. Brooke Coffey also posted her second double-double of the season after scoring 10 points and pulling down 11 rebounds. Alyssa Nielsen also contributed nine points off the bench as LU scored 22 points from their second unit.

Through 14 games this season, Lindenwood is averaging 65.6 points per game and have scored over 65 points nine times this season including in five out of their last six games. When Lindenwood scores over 65 points this season, the Lions are 6-3 including wins over Tennessee Tech , SIUE and Tennessee State. LU has held opponents under 65 points nine times this season including 54 to TTU, their third lowest of the year. Ohio Valley Conference play has seen four different Lions score in double-figures including Mya Skoff (10.2) who has started every single conference match.

UT Martin is coach by 16-year head man Kevin McMillan who has led the Skyhawks to 10 OVC titles in his 16 seasons (6 regular season titles and 4 OVC Tournament titles). To start the 2024-25 season, the Skyhawks are 6-10 but have won their last two OVC games including wins over Southeast Missouri State and Western Illinois. UT Martin is averaging 66.8 points per game this season while shooting 43.3% from the floor and 33.0% from three.

Player to Watch
Brooke Coffey is coming off her second double-double of the season after scoring 10-points against Tennessee State while pulling down 11 rebounds. Coffey currently ranks seventh in the OVC in rebounds per game while averaging 6.4 this season.

After transferring from Illinois State, Coffey is averaging 9.8 points per game this season while shooting 47.7% from the field. She has started all 14 games this season while dishing out 30 assists on the season. Coffey has scored in double-figures nine times including in four of the five OVC games.

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 UT Martin
UT Martin comes into Saturday's match-up with a 6-10 overall record while starting OVC play with a 3-2 record. They are currently shooting 43.3% from the field and 33.0% from three-point range. The Skyhawks also average 12.4 assists per game. LU will look to score off UT Martin turnovers as they average 18.1 a contest.

Anaya Brown has started all 16 games for UT Martin and is their leading scorer averaging 14.0 points per game while shooting 46.1% from the field and 36.1% from three. She has scored in double-figures 12 times including three straight games in OVC play. Brown is coming off a 26 point performance vs. Western Illinois on Thursday.

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 go back on the road on Thursday, Jan. 16th when they head to Evansville, Ill. to take on the Screaming Eagles of Southern Indiana. For more information go to lindenwoodlions.com.