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MOREHEAD, Ky. – Heading into the final leg of the team's final road trip, Morehead State women's basketball wraps up its longest road swing of the season at Southeast Missouri, looking for a second straight victory over the Redhawks.

In the first meeting between the two programs, Morehead State used a 23-point third quarter to erase a two-point halftime deficit to knock off the reigning Ohio Valley Conference champions. The Eagles weathered a furious comeback attempt to claim victory, holding the lead for the final 17-plus minutes of the game.

Sophomore Ariel Kirkwood and redshirt senior Tyler Moore led the way for the Eagles in the first game, offensively, combining to score 30 of the team's 58 points, pouring in 16 and 14, respectively. Moore sank a game-high four triples, including three clutch three-pointers in the second half to help Morehead State take and extend its lead.

On the boards, junior Ellie Jo Johnson corralled a season-high 11 boards to lead Morehead State. Of her 11 rebounds, five came in the fourth quarter, including three in the final minutes to help the Eagles quell the Southeast Missouri rally attempt.

Morehead State also tallied 13 blocks in the first meeting between the two teams with redshirt sophomore Gabby Crawford leading Morehead State with a career-high seven rejections.

The Eagles and Skyhawks tip-off from the Show Me Center in Cape Girardeau, Mo. at 3 p.m. ET Saturday. The game airs on ESPN+ and the Kentucky Office of Highway Safety Eagle Sports Network (MSUEagles.com).

INSIDE THE SERIES
Records: Morehead State (6-14; 5-11 OVC) | Southeast Missouri (13-9; 11-6 OVC)
Series: Southeast Missouri leads 24-22
Last Five Meetings: Jan. 21, 2021 (MOR 58, SEMO 57) | 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)

NOTABLE
Swiping three steals against UT Martin Thursday, sophomore Ariel Kirkwood now ranks third in the Ohio Valley Conference in total steals with 41. Over the past five games, Kirkwood has collected 14 thefts, including three or more steals in four of the past five games.
 
Elsewhere defensively, Kirkwood also leads Morehead State in shot-blocking, ranking second in the conference and 16^th in the NCAA in blocked shots with 48. Her 2.40 blocks per game also rank second in the OVC while ranking 29^th in the country.
 
As a team, Morehead State is the OVC's leading shot-blocking team, leading the conference and ranking third and fourth in the NCAA in blocked shots and blocked shots per game, respectively. The Eagles average 6.8 blocks per contest, rejecting 137 shots in 20 games this season.
 
Morehead State also enters Saturday's matchup with Southeast Missouri as the only team with three or more players ranked in the top-10 in the OVC in blocked shots. In addition to Kirkwood, redshirt sophomore Gabby Carter (third), redshirt sophomore Lauren Carter (sixth), and junior Ellie Jo Johnson (seventh) rank for the Eagles.
 
The Eagles also rank highly in the OVC in reaching the free throw line, ranking second in the conference in free throws made and third in free throw attempts. Making 286-of-383 attempts this season from the charity stripe, Morehead State also ranks 18^th and 23^rd in the NCAA in free throws made and free throw attempts, respectively.
 
Morehead State also ranks towards the top of the league in average free throws made and attempted, ranking second in the OVC in both categories. Through 20 games this season, the Eagles average 14.3 makes in 19.2 attempts per game.
 
Leading Morehead State at the free throw line are Crawford and Johnson who both rank top-10 in the OVC in free throw percentage, ranking eighth and seventh, respectively. Crawford ranks third in the OVC in free throws made and free throw attempts, converting 77-of-96 attempts (80.2) while Johnson ranks eighth in free throws made and ninth in free throw attempts, shooting 80.7 percent (67-of-83) from the line.
 
The duo also ranks in the top-10 in the league in average free throws made and free throw attempts per game. Crawford ranks fourth in the OVC in both categories, averaging 3.9 makes in 4.8 attempts per game with Johnson tying for seventh in both categories, averaging 3.4 makes in 4.2 attempts.
 
Crawford leads Morehead State in rebounding on the year, standing as the team's leader in both total rebounds and rebounds per game, ranking fourth in the conference in both categories. She also ranks 36^th in the NCAA in total rebounds, pulling in 172 boards over 20 games, averaging 8.6 per contest.
 
Kirkwood, like Crawford, also ranks in the top-10 in the OVC in rebounding, ranking sixth in the league in total rebounds and eighth in rebounds per game. She's corralled 142 boards in 20 games this year, averaging 7.1 rebounds per contest.
 
With a pair of players pulling in seven or more rebounds per game, Morehead State joins Southeast Missouri as the only programs in the OVC to have a pair of players grabbing seven-plus boards per game.
 
Dishing out 56 assists this season, Kirkwood ranks 10^th in the OVC in assists. Since assuming Morehead State's primary ball-handling duties on Jan. 11, she's passed out 41 of her 56 assists, including seven games of three or more assists.
 
Pulling down 11 offensive boards against UT Martin, Morehead State has grabbed 10 or more offensive rebounds in each of the last four games. Overall, this season, the Eagles have recorded double-digit boards on the offensive glass in 16 of 20 games.
 
Morehead State's 39 points Thursday night, the Eagles snapped a streak of 229 consecutive games scoring 40 or more points, not reaching 40 points for the first time since Nov. 24, 2013, versus Duquesne.