Game #29
Lindenwood (20-8, 16-3 OVC)
at Tennessee Tech (23-5, 17-2 OVC)
Match Information:
Date: Saturday, Mar. 1st, 2025
Location: Cookeville, Tenn.
Venue: Eblen Center
Tip-Off: 1:00 p.m. CT
All-Time Series: 1-3
Last Meeting: W, 67-54
Live Stats: Stats
ESPN+: Watch

Matchup
Lindenwood women's basketball has a chance to claim a share of the Ohio Valley Conference Regular Season Champion Title as they head to Tennessee Tech for a battle again the top two teams in the OVC. With a win on Sunday, Lindenwood and TTU would be tied for first place in the conference, but LU would get the number one seed heading into the OVC Championships next week in Evansville. A loss on Saturday and the Golden Eagles would get the crown and the one seed.

Western Illinois snapped the Lions' 11 game win streak this past Tuesday as the Lions suffered a 75-70 loss in Macomb, Ill. The Leathernecks used a big second and third quarter to build-up a 17 point lead that the Lions could not overcome. Brooke Coffey led the way with 16 points while shooting 7-12 from the floor. Guards Gracy Wernli and Ellie Brueggemann also added 15 points each in the loss. This duo combined to shot 9-23 from three-point range. Head coach Amy Eagan has posted a plus-13 win improvement from a season ago after going 7-21 during her first season at Lindenwood.

With one game remaining on the schedule, the battle for first in the OVC is tightly contested. Tennessee Tech holds a one-game advantage of the Lions with a 17-2 record after their win over Western Ill. on Tuesday night. Earlier this season, Lindenwood defeated the Golden Eagles at home by a score of 67-54.

Through 28 games this season, Lindenwood is averaging 68.6 points per game and have scored over 65 points 20 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 35.1%. 

The Golden Eagles are coached by Kim Rosamond enters her ninth season at the helm in Cookeville. She has coached TTU to a 23-5 record this season including a perfect 12-0 record at home in the Eblen Center.

Player to Watch
Do-it-all point guard Mykayla Cunningham has had a nice season during the 2024-25 campaign. The Salina, Kan. native is averaging 7.3 points per game this season while dishing out 2.9 assists per night. She has scored at least seven points and had three assists in the same game 10 times this season. Cunningham leads the team in minutes per game averaging 29.4. LU does not have a player in the top 20 in the OVC in minutes played per game.

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 Tennessee Tech
Tennessee Tech currently leads the OVC with a 17-2 record heading into the final game of the regular season. The Golden Eagles have not loss a game since January 9th at Eastern Illinois. They have rattled off 14 straight wins while boasting a perfect 13-0 home record.

Four different players are averaging double-figures for the Golden Eagles including leading-scorer Reghan Grimes who is averaging 13.0 ppg. She is shooting 44.9% from the field and 36.4% from three-point range.

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 has secured a double-bye at the OVC Championships next weekend in Evansville, Ind. They will start post-season play on Friday, March 7th with a TBA for their opponent. For more information go to lindenwoodlions.com.