EVANSVILLE, Ind. - Lindenwood women's basketball (21-10, 16-4 OVC) battled in an all-time Ohio Valley Conference Championship classic, but fell in overtime to the eventually champions Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles (26-5, 18-2 OVC) by a final score of 82-76. The Lions captured their most wins (21) and conference wins (16) in the Division I era while making it to their first OVC Championships in program history.

Brooke Coffey led the Lions scoring 20 points on 8-15 shooting including draining two threes. The sophomore forward grabbed eight of Lindenwood's 45 rebounds. Gracie Kelsey was just short of a double-double after posting nine points and nine rebounds in the loss. Lindenwood out-rebounded TTU 45-34 including 19 offensive rebounds.

All-OVC First Team and All-Tournament team selection Ellie Brueggemann scored 19 points on 7-17 shooting. Brueggemann also added four rebounds, three assists , two steals and two blocks. Justis Odom also contributed 12 points on a perfect 6-6 shooting.

Western Illinois just edged the Lions in field-goal percentage shooting 44.1% for the game while Lindenwood shot 43.3%. The Golden Eagles had the upper hand at the foul line going 24-29 from the line while the Lions went 13-21.

Lindenwood opened up the OVC Championship game with a 5-0 run with baskets from Odom and Brueggemann. Tennessee Tech eventually took the lead in the first at 8-7 after a pull-up jumper from Reghan Grimes. LU started the game shooting 5-6 from the floor.

The Lions' largest lead of the first quarter was five-points (19-14) with 40 second remaining after a bucket from Odom. Coffey went 1-2 at the foul line to end the quarter as the Lions took a 20-16 lead into the second. Odom led the way with eight first quarter points as the Lions shot 8-13 from the field while holding TTU to 4-12 shooting.

Tennessee Tech opened the second quarter on a 8-2 run to re-take the lead at 24-22. Alyssa Nielsen off the bench hit a turn-around jumper with 6:01 left in the second to put the Lions ahead by two. A 6-0 run by the Lions put them up 32-26 with 4:40 left. The Golden Eagles ended the quarter on a 6-1 run but the Lions went into the locker room with a one-point lead at 33-32.

Brueggemann had nine points at the half shooting 3-6 from the floor. Odom was a perfect 4-4 from the floor ending the half with eight points. LU's bench was a factor out-scoring TTU 10-1 through the first 20 minutes of play.

The Lions came out of the locker room on a 7-2 run capped off by a Gracy Wernli layup to put the Lions ahead 40-33 with 8:06 left in the quarter. Over the next two minutes, Tennessee Tech tied the game at 41-41 and took the lead on a and-one by Grimes. After being down four, Coffey hit back-to-back threes to take a two point lead with 2:23 remaining in the period. Lindenwood held a 59-55 lead heading into the fourth after Coffey scored 12 in the third.

It was a back-and-forth affair in Evansville to start the fourth quarter as Tennessee Tech tied the game with 3:41 left . Brueggemann gave the Lions a two points lead (70-68) with 2:!3 left on the clock. Grimes scored on a fade away shot with 19 seconds left to tie the game at 70. Lindenwood had one shot left but missed on a put-back down low to send the game to overtime.

Going blow for blow in overtime, Kelsey gave the Lions the lead with 1:12 left after going 1-2 at the foul line. Keeley Carter for Tennessee Tech scored an and-one with 1:01 left to put Tech in front. Coffey tied the game at 76-76 but the Golden Eagles went on a 6-0 run to close out the Championship game as the Lions came just short of their first OVC Title.

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