GAME NOTES | ESPN+ | EAGLE SPORTS NETWORK | LIVE STATS | TICKETS

MOREHEAD, Ky. – Coming off a two-game stretch against SIUE which saw Morehead State women's basketball collect a pair of victories and run its winning streak against the Cougars to five, the Eagles return to Johnson Arena for a Thursday matinee versus Southeast Missouri.

The Eagles (4-8; 3-5 OVC) enter Thursday's game off a stellar defensive effort in a 53-47 victory over SIUE, forcing 24 turnovers and generating 16 steals, both the best totals against an Ohio Valley Conference opponent this season. Southeast Missouri enters at 7-4 overall and 5-1 in the OVC.

Redshirt sophomore Gabby Crawford picked up her second double-double in as many games Tuesday, posting game-highs with 14 points and 10 rebounds. The game marked her fifth double-double of the season, giving her a share of the OVC lead in the category. She also ranks second in the OVC at 9.0 rebounds per contest, having pulled down 10 or more boards on six occasions.

The Eagles also enter Thursday's game boasting the OVC's Newcomer of the Week as redshirt senior Tyler Moore claimed the honor—her first of the season—after posting a team-best 14.7 points per game and 12 made three-pointers last week. Overall, Crawford and Moore have combined to win three of the seven Newcomer of the Week awards this season.

Averaging 20.9 attempts and 15.3 makes per game from the charity stripe, Morehead State enters as one of the top teams in the league at reaching the free throw line. The Eagles have shot 20 or more free throws in seven games this season, including Tuesday's game, and 15-plus free throws in 11 games.

Tip-off for Thursday's matinee is set for 4 p.m. ET with the game airing on ESPN+ and the Kentucky Office of Highway Safety Eagle Sports Network (MSUEagles.com or WIVY-96.3 FM).

INSIDE THE SERIES
Records: Morehead State (4-8; 3-5 OVC) | Southeast Missouri (7-4; 5-1 OVC)
Series: Southeast Missouri leads 24-21*
Last Five Meetings: Jan. 30, 2020 (SEMO 67, MOR 61) | Jan. 17, 2019 (MOR 82, SEMO 54) | Feb. 8, 2018 (MOR 60, SEMO 58) | Jan. 11, 2018 (MOR 59, SEMO 56) | Feb. 4, 2017 (MOR 82, SEMO 72)
*Note: Record does not reflect three Southeast Missouri wins vacated by the program during the 2004-05 and 2005-06 seasons.

NOTABLE
Morehead State enters the weekend ranked second in the NCAA in both blocked shots and blocked shots per game, leading the Ohio Valley Conference in both categories. In 12 games, the Eagles have rejected 89 shots, an average of 7.4 blocks per contest.

Picking up six more blocks Tuesday against SIUE, Morehead State has out-blocked its opponent in 11 of 12 games this season while the team's five-block margin marked the second-largest margin of the season (Eastern Kentucky; six [11-5]).

Ariel Kirkwood continues to rank among the best shot-blockers in the country, ranking sixth in NCAA in total blocks and 10th in blocks per game. She's swatted 37 shots in 12 games, averaging 3.08 blocked shots a contest. She's joined in the rankings by Gabby Crawford whose 22 blocked shots rank 34th in the country.

Morehead State is the only team in the OVC to place four players in the conference's top-15 in shot-blocking. Kirkwood ranks second in the league with 3.08 blocks per game while Crawford ranks third at 1.83 per contest. Also ranking are Lauren Carter (sixth; 1.17) and Ellie Jo Johnson (12th; 0.58).

The Eagles also stake claim to being the only team in the conference to have four of the league's top-15 in total rebounds, claiming spots two, three, four, and 11. Kirkwood leads the group of Eagles with 37 blocks with Crawford (22), Carter (14), and Johnson (seven) also ranking for Morehead State.

In addition to shot-blocking, Morehead State is the only team in the OVC to claim three players pulling down six or more rebounds per game. Crawford ranks second in the league, corralling 9.0 boards per contest—one of two players in the OVC with this distinction—with Kirkwood ranking seventh and Carter ranking 13th, pulling down 8.0 and 6.3 rebounds per game, respectively.

Crawford also ranks second in the OVC in total rebounds, pulling down 108 boards this season while being one of three players in the conference to total 100 or more rebounds this season. She also ranks 41st in the NCAA in total rebounds, sitting just seven boards shy of the OVC lead. With four rebounds, Kirkwood would become the fourth player in the OVC with 100-plus rebounds, ranking fourth in the league with 96 boards.

Behind her penchant to rebound and score the basketball, Crawford has recorded a double-double in five games this season, including in each of her last two games. Her double-double (14 points and 10 rebounds) versus SIUE Tuesday moved her into a tie for the OVC-lead in the category where she ranks 28th in the NCAA.

For the second consecutive game, Morehead State earned 20 or more free throw attempts, heading to the line of 26 Tuesday vs. SIUE. The game marked the seventh this season that the Eagles have earned 20 or more free throw attempts and the 11th where the team has shot 15-plus free throws.

Morehead State ranks second in the OVC while ranking 31st and 23rd in the NCAA, respectively, in free throw attempts and free throws made, shooting 184-of-251 from the charity stripe. The team's 73.3 free throw percentage ranks fifth in the OVC and 70th in the nation.

The Eagles are also one of only two teams to average 20 or more trips to the free throw line or 15 or more makes from the line in the OVC, joining Murray State with the distinction in both categories. Morehead State averages 20.9 trips to the line per game, averaging 15.3 made free throws per contest.

Crawford leads the Eagles and ranks second in the OVC in both free throw attempts and free throws made, making 53 of 68 attempts this year. She also ranks third in the OVC in average free throw attempts and makes per game, averaging 5.7 attempts and 4.4 makes per contest.

Making 43-of-52 attempts from the charity stripe, Johnson leads Morehead State while ranking fourth in the OVC in free throw percentage, shooting 82.7 percent from the line. She's one of seven players in the OVC to connect at an 80 percent or better clip from the line this season.

Morehead State enters the weekend as one of the best teams in the OVC at defending the three-point line, holding opponents to a 24.8 three-point field goal percentage. The total ranks 30th in the nation as the Eagles have held their opponents under 30 percent from behind the arc in 10 of 12 games this season.

Tuesday's game versus SIUE marked the 200th game coached by Eagle head coach Greg Todd at Morehead State. He becomes the fourth coach in program history to coach 200 or more games at MSU, joining Mickey Wells (247; 1975-76 to 1983-84), Loretta Marlow (225; 1984-85 to 1991-92), and Laura Litter (220; 1997-98 to 2004-05).