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MOREHEAD, Ky. -- A tough task awaits the Morehead State women’s basketball team on Saturday as the Eagles travel to face Ohio Valley Conference leader Eastern Illinois. Tipoff in Lantz Arena is set for 5 p.m. ET. The game can be heard live on the Eagle Sports Network and on www.MSUEagles.com.
The Eagles (7-14/4-5 OVC) will be looking to snap a four-game losing streak, while the Panthers (18-4/9-0 OVC) are riding an 11-game winning streak into Saturday’s contest. EIU has also won 18 consecutive conference games dating back to the middle of the 2010-11 OVC season.
The Panthers, who have outscored their last five opponents by an average of 21.6 points, are led by guard Ta’Kenya Nixon with 14.9 points, 5.9 rebounds and 4.3 assists per outing. Mariah King adds 13.2 points and a team-best 7.6 rebounds per game. The Panthers boast a plus-14.6 scoring margin and out-rebound their foes by a plus-9.4 margin per contest.
Morehead State has held significant second-half leads in its last two games with Tennessee Tech and Murray State, but the Eagles saw both rally to defeat them at home. The Eagles have been a successful team on the road in the conference the last three seasons, going 15-7. The Eagles are the next-to-last OVC team to beat the Panthers on their home floor since last year.
Senior guard Linda Dixon (15.3 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 1.4 bpg) tops the Eagles while senior point guard Courtney Lumpkin (14.7 ppg, 3.0 apg) has been MSU’s top producer in OVC games, scoring more than 20 per game in the nine league contests.
EIU leads the series 15-14 and has won seven of the last eight since 2006-07. MSU did win the last matchup in Charleston last year, 77-73.
The Eagles continue their three-game road trip Monday night at SIU Edwardsville at 8 p.m. ET.
