Ohio Valley Conference

MOREHEAD, Ky. - Morehead State sophomore Kate Novik scored an old-fashioned three-point-play with two seconds remaining to lift Morehead State to a 62-61 win over Eastern Illinois Saturday in Johnson Arena.

With four seconds remaining, Eastern Illinois (16-11/ 13-5 OVC) turned the ball over on a sideline throw-in, setting up Novik's winning play. Getting the ball at half court, Novik took the ensuing throw in and drove down the right side of the lane for a lay-in to tie the score at 61-61,  getting fouled in the process. Her ensuing free throw was the game-winner.

Novik led Morehead State (9-19, 4-14 OVC) with 23 points. She was a perfect five for five from the free throw line. Novik also had a game-high eight assists. Senior Aileen Marquez came off the bench to score 15 points, hitting her first five three-point attempts of the game. She finished five of seven from distance.

The Eagles led 16-14 after the first quarter but were outscored 15-9 in the second frame and trailed at the half 29-25. MSU saw that deficit grow in the third quarter to 10 with 3:36 to go. The Eagles responded with a 13-4 run to close out the quarter and went to final period trailing 49-48.

In the fourth quarter, Eastern Illinois built their lead to as much as seven points with 2:34 to go but would not score again. Morehead State closed the game with an 8-0, with Novik's heroics again the climax.

Eastern Illinois was led by Macy McGlone with 15 points. She also pulled down 16 rebounds to record her 45th double-double in her two seasons with EIU. Sydney-James Desroches and Alex Rouse had 13 points each, and Lalani Ellie finished with 10.

WESTERN ILLINOIS 86, LITTLE ROCK 80
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - The Little Rock Women's Basketball team turned in its best shooting performance of the season Saturday, shooting 61 percent to push the Trojans to a 86-80 win over Western Illinois at the Jack Stephens Center.

Five Trojans were in double-figures in Saturday's matchup. Sug Williams led the crew with 21 points, seven rebounds, and five assists. Emerald Parker followed suit with 18 points and five rebounds. Faith Lee contributed 14 points. Jayla Brooks had 12 points with four rebounds, and Jordan Holman pitched in 11 points. Senior Mesi Triplett also added four points for the Trojans.

It was all Little Rock for three quarters, but Western Illinois wouldn't quit, pushing back in the final 10 minutes. 

WIU's Allie Meadows hit a clutch three with 4:54 left to play, cutting the score to 76-73. 

Lee turned a steal from WIU's Mia Nicastro into a layup with 3:46 left adding to the Trojan lead, 80-73.

OVC scoring leader Reagan McCowan made a jumper with just 2:38 left cutting the lead to 80-75.

The Trojans found their final push with a Leatherneck scoring drought in the final minute of play.

WIU fouled four times in the final 11 seconds, putting the Trojans on the charity line. Crucial free throws down the stretch by Williams and Brooks sealed the deal for the Trojans to end their home season with a win.

McCowan led the Leathernecks with a 35-point effort on 14-of-23 shooting. She also had four rebounds, one block, and two steals. Madison Davis also added 19 points, eight rebounds, and four assists.

The Trojans shot 61.1 percent on 33-of-54 from the field and dominated the paint, outscoring WIU 52-44. Little Rock's bench added 20 points. 

It was an offensive matchup, with only 19 total turnovers in the game. Little Rock had nine, while WIU had 10.

Little Rock converted those turnovers into nine points, and WIU turned those turnovers into 18 points.

LINDENWOOD 70, SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 47
CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. - Lindenwood women's basketball (20-7, 16-2 OVC) eclipsed the 20 win mark for only the third time during the NCAA era after defeating Southeast Missouri State (5-22, 3-15 OVC) by a final score of 70-47. The Lions held SEMO to 47 points which is the lowest point total allowed against a Division I opponent in Lindenwood's history. Lindenwood also continues their win streak to 11 games after Saturday's contest.

It was a balanced scoring effort from Lindenwood's offense on Saturday with four double-digit scorers but none scoring more than 11 points. Mya Skoff, Justis Odom and Brooke Coffey all had 11 points in the win. Six different Lions had at least eight points.

Skoff shot 4-6 from the floor including a perfect 2-2 from downtown. Coffey shot 5-8 from the field while pulling down a team-high seven rebounds and added three assists. Odom was also effective down-low shooting 4-7 from the field while adding five rebounds. Five different Lions had multiple assists on Saturday as LU assisted on 16 of their 26 made field-goals.

Gracy Wernli was the fourth Lion to make it into double-figures with 10 points. Ellie Brueggemann (9 points) and Mykayla Cunningham (8 points) rounded out the offense for LU. The Lions shot 47.3% from the field and 72.2% from the foul line all while holding SEMO to 34.0% from the field and 26.3% from three.

Lindenwood defense took advantage of SEMO's 19 turnovers resulting in 25 points. The Lions also controlled the painted area out-scoring SEMO 36-20 in that department. LU's bench also did their job putting up 18 points including five from both Alyssa Nielsen and Gracie Kelsey.

The first quarter was close to start with Lindenwood holding a two-point lead with 3:21 remaining, but it was all Lindenwood to close out the first. Lindenwood ended the first quarter on a 9-2 run as the Lions led 19-8 after the first. Despite shooting 1-6 from three, Lindenwood took advantage of SEMO's seven turnovers scoring 10 points off of those. Wernli had three of her team-high five steals in the first 10 minutes of the game.

Mid-way through the second quarter, SEMO was able to cut the lead to 28-21 as the Lions struggled to find a rhythm on offense being held scoreless for nearly four minutes. Lindenwood used another late run (9-0) to end the quarter as they headed into the locker room leading 37-21. LU only took seven shots in the second (5-7 FG) but went a perfect 7-7 at the foul line.

Over the first two minutes of the quarter, it was a 5-0 Redhawks to cut the lead to 11. Lindenwood's offense kept the momentum going eventually stretching the lead to 20 points with 48 second remaining as they out-scored SEMO 18-14 in the third. It was Lindenwood 55 SEMO 35 through three quarters in the Show Me Center.

Lindenwood's largest lead of the game came with 6:27 left in the game after a made layup from Nielsen put the Lions ahead by 28. Eagan's group ended the afternoon in Cape Girardeau, Mo. by a final score of 7-47.

TENNESSEE TECH 84, TENNESSEE STATE 71
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. - The streak continues -- Tennessee Tech powered their way to an 84-71 victory over Tennessee State on Saturday with an army of alumni in attendance, watching the Golden Eagle women dominate the contest in the Eblen Center.

With the victory, the Golden Eagles (22-5, 16-2 Ohio Valley Conference) extend their winning streak to 13 straight games – standing alone as the fourth-longest winning streak in program history. The win also marks the 16th straight home win for the Tech women as they inch closer to the program-record of 23 straight in the Eblen Center.

The 16th conference win of the season is the most in head coach Kim Rosamond's tenure and ties the 1999-2000 and 2005-06 Tech women's teams for the most in a single season – with two OVC contests to go.

And on Saturday, probably the most important of all at the moment, the Golden Eagles are assured of a double-bye in the Ohio Valley Conference Basketball Championships in Evansville. Eastern Illinois fell to Morehead State on Saturday afternoon, putting the Panthers back three games from Tech and Lindenwood.

Both the Golden Eagles and the Lions have one contest remaining before Saturday's showdown as both teams take on Western Illinois with Lindenwood traveling to Macomb on Tuesday before heading to Cookeville on Saturday, while Tech hosts the Leathernecks on Thursday.

On Saturday, the mission for the Golden Eagles was to avoid the trap and keep focused on the mission. Tech did just that. Even after TSU (8-20, 4-14 OVC) rallied from an early deficit, the Golden Eagles urge out to an 11-point lead before the close of the first quarter, outscoring the Tigers 23-15.

Reghan Grimes helped pace Tech with seven points on 3-for-4 shooting in the opening quarter, aided by five points from Keeley Carter. The Golden Eagles drained eight shots in the period, including three from long range.

Tech extended its lead to 16 points just before the intermission and held a 43-31 advantage at the break. The Golden Eagles posted identical 20-16 quarters over TSU in the second and third, increasing the margin to 63-47 through three.

Anna Walker cleaned the glass in the third quarter as she pulled down eight rebounds in the penultimate period, later finishing with a career-high 16 caroms in the contest.

Tech reached a 23-point lead just before the final media timeout leading to late substitutions. TSU chipped the margin down to 13 points late, but the game was well in hand by that point.

Five Golden Eagles finished the game with double-digit scoring, led by Keeley Carter with 18 points on 5-for-6 shooting and 4-for-4 from 3-point range, while also standing perfect with a 4-for-4 effort at the free-throw line. Taris Thornton scored 15 points and collected seven rebounds.

Peyton Carter and Grimes each had 14 points in the game with Carter knocking down three treys. Walker completed her sixth career double-double – and fourth this season – as she scored 12 points.

The Golden Eagles converted 12 TSU turnovers into 24 points in the game and also controlled the glass, outrebounding State 41-27. Chloe Larry also led Tech with eight assists as she nearly had an unconventional double-double with nine points, collecting half of the Golden Eagles' dimes in the game.

Somah Kamara led TSU with 24 points, while Aaniya Webb collected 10 points. Lyric Cole led the Tigers with 11 rebounds.

SOUTHERN INDIANA 79, SIUE 42
EVANSVILLE, Ind. - University of Southern Indiana Women's Basketball collected its second big win of the week Saturday when the Screaming Eagles posted a 79-42 senior night win against Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, completing a homestand sweep inside Liberty Arena on the week.
 
Saturday's win gave USI its 20th win of the season toward a second consecutive 20-win campaign and 15th season with at least 20 wins. Southern Indiana (20-9, 12-6) already clinched its 36th winning season.
 
In the Ohio Valley Conference picture, the Screaming Eagles also already clinched its berth in the OVC tournament. After Saturday's results, USI remained in a tie for fourth place with the University of Arkansas at Little Rock and one game back of Eastern Illinois University in third place. SIUE dropped to 5-22 overall and 3-15 in OVC play, as the Cougars look to battle for their berth in the OVC tournament.
 
Southern Indiana started the game on fire, jumping out to a 16-2 lead by the midway point of the opening quarter. The three-point shot was effective early as junior guard Ali Saunders knocked down a pair of threes, senior guard Vanessa Shafford drained a triple, and sophomore guard Triniti Ralston cashed in beyond the arc. The scorching stretch from outside led to a 13-0 run in the middle of the period for USI. The Screaming Eagles ended the first quarter attacking the inside to gain a 24-6 advantage going to the second quarter.
 
The Screaming Eagles continued its strong start into the second quarter with a balanced attack. USI's lead swelled to 36-12 by the halfway point of the second, featuring another three by Ralston and a three-point play from graduate forward Meredith Raley. USI finished the first half on a 14-0 run, which was capped off by a last-second layup from sophomore forward Chloe Gannon. Southern Indiana into halftime ahead 42-12.
 
Three minutes into the second half, Raley scored back-to-back layups to reach double figures in the game and extend USI's lead to 48-14. Ralston joined Raley in double digits with another three-pointer at the 4:37 mark of the third quarter. SIUE found a little momentum in the third, but Southern Indiana's lead grew to 60-25 heading into the fourth quarter.
 
In the early portion of the fourth quarter, freshman guard Lexi Sepulveda dropped a runner in the lane and graduate forward Madi Webb converted a three-point play to extend USI's lead to 66-31. Before USI's five seniors walked off the court to a standing ovation and USI closed out the win, Raley and Shafford each drilled a three-pointer and Webb reached double figures in the scoring column.
 
Southern Indiana finished the game shooting over 45 percent (28-62) overall and 40 percent (8-20) from long distance. USI swished in 75 percent (15-20) of its free-throw attempts. The Eagles also outrebounded SIUE, 43-38, and outscored the Cougars in the paint, 34-6. 11 Screaming Eagles found the scoring column. Raley had a game-high 16 points and 10 rebounds for her eighth career double-double. Shafford dropped 14 points, Webb tallied 11 points, and Ralston totaled 10 points.

For Raley, she moved into USI's top five all time in scoring. Raley moved to fourth in USI history with 1,577 points, passing Kaydie Grooms (2014-18) and Kathy Lauck (1990-94). Raley is 30 points away Anna Hackert (2011-15) for third all time.
 
SIUE was held to 25 percent (14-56) from the floor and under 29 percent (8-28) from three. The Cougars were only 6-14 for under 43 percent at the free-throw line. Ava Gugliuzza was the only Cougar in double figures with 10 points.
 
Following Saturday's big win, Webb, Shafford, Raley, graduate guard Lexie Green, and senior forward Lauren Carie were recognized during USI's Senior Night celebration, receiving another big round of applause for their lasting, historical impact on the USI Women's Basketball program.