Game #26
Lindenwood (18-7, 14-2 OVC)
at Little Rock (13-12, 11-5 OVC)
Match Information:
Date: Thursday, Feb. 20th, 2025
Location: Little Rock, Ark.
Venue: Jack Stephens Center
Tip-Off: 5:00 p.m. CT
All-Time Series: 2-3
Last Meeting: W, 70-68
Live Stats: Stats
ESPN+: Watch

Matchup
Lindenwood women's basketball will start the final stretch of the 2024-25 season on the road starting in Little Rock, Ark. with a battle against the Trojans on Thursday, Feb. 20th at 5:00 p.m. CT. During their last meeting, Lindenwood's Ellie Brueggemann hit a game-winning shot against Little Rock to push them past the Trojans 70-68. Lindenwood is still in a position to secure a double-bye at the Ohio Valley Conference with a 14-2 OVC record.

Lindenwood showed-out on the national stage with a 75-56 win against Southern Indiana last Saturday on ESPNU. It was a Gracy and Gracie show with Gracy Wernli (23 points) and Gracie Kelsey (19 points) both putting up career-highs. Wernli made a career-high five three-pointers in the win while Kelsey shot 5-6 from the floor while going a perfect 9-9 at the foul line. Brueggemann also scored 12 points for the Lions while Mya Skoff added five rebounds and a career-high seven assists. LU shot 46.2% from the floor as a team while going 18-24 at the foul line. It was a defensive effort holding the Screaming Eagles to 31.1% from the floor.

Head coach Amy Eagan moves to career win 299 after Saturday's victory, just one win away from her 300th. Eagan has led the Lions to an 18-7 record during the 2024-25 season, their most wins since the 2019-20 season. She has coached a trio of scorers who are averaging over 10 points, including this past week's OVC Newcomer of the Week Wernli.

Through 25 games this season, Lindenwood is averaging 68.8 points per game and have scored over 65 points 18 times this season, but have found other ways to win in recent weeks. The three-point shot has found its rhythm during OVC play as the Lions rank second in the OVC in three-point shooting with a 36.6%. 

The Trojans are coached by Steve Wiedower in his first season as head coach. After a tough non-conference schedule, LR sits at 11-5 in OVC play.

Player to Watch
Gracy Wernli has also found her shot from long range over the last couple of weeks making multiple threes in eight out of her last 11 games. The Abilene Christian transfer is averaging 11.1 points per game while shooting 45.8% from the floor and 35.5% from three. Wernli has scored in double-figures in 10 of her last 13 games including a career-high 23 vs. Southern Indiana.

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 Little Rock
After winning only two games in the non-conference portion of the season, Little Rock has gone 11-5 in OVC play as they enter Thursday's game. They average 62.2 points per game while shooting 39.9% from the floor, but average 7.8 steals per game and 2.8 blocks per game.

Faith Lee is their leading scorer averaging 15.5 points per game this season scoring in double-figures 21 times. Lindenwood held her to just 12 points in their last meeting. Jordan Holman also averages 12.9 points per game while grabbing 5.0 rebounds.

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 battles in-state rival Southeast Missouri State on Saturday, Feb. 22nd at 1:30 p.m. CT in the Show Me Center in Cape Girardeau, Mo. For more information go to lindenwoodlions.com.