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MOREHEAD, Ky. – After extending its longest winning streak over an Ohio Valley Conference foe just two weeks ago, Morehead State women's basketball looks to push the streak to eight games as it hosts Tennessee State Thursday night at Johnson Arena.

Behind a trio of double-figure scorers and several career-best performances, the Eagles took the first meeting with the Lady Tigers 74-49 in Nashville on Feb. 11.

Morehead State posted a season-high field-goal percentage (44.9; 22-of-49) and three-point field goal percentage (58.8; 10-of-17) in the first meeting while the game was the best for the Eagles from behind the arc when making 10 or more threes since Jan. 4, 2014.

Redshirt senior Tyler Moore led Morehead State in the previous outing with Tennessee State with a game-high 24 points behind the strength of eight made three-pointers. The game tied a career-high for Moore for makes beyond the arc—the second time she'd hit eight treys in a game this season—while she finished one made three short of tying the Morehead State program record.

Joining Moore in double figures were redshirt sophomore Gabby Crawford and junior Ellie Jo Johnson who added 19 and 10 points, respectively. Crawford's 19 points—a career-high—paired with a game-best 10 rebounds to construct her seventh double-double of the season.

Defensively, redshirt sophomore Lauren Carter also set a career-high in the first meeting with the Lady Tigers, recording five of the team's seven blocks.

Round two between the Eagles and Lady Tigers commences Thursday at 4 p.m. ET and airs on ESPN+ and the Kentucky Office of Highway Safety Eagle Sports Network (MSUEagles.com and WIVY-96.3 FM).

INSIDE THE SERIES
Record: Morehead State (6-15; 5-12 OVC) | Tennessee State (0-20; 0-18 OVC)
Series: Morehead State leads 38-27
Last Five Meetings: Feb. 11, 2021 (MOR 74, TSU 49) | Feb. 22, 2020 (MOR 69, TSU 60) | Jan. 16, 2020 (MOR 84, TSU 47) | Feb. 07, 2019 (MOR 71, TSU 55) | Jan. 12, 2019 (MOR 85, TSU 62)

NOTABLE
Averaging 10.0 points and 9.5 rebounds per game last week, redshirt sophomore Gabby Crawford garnered Ohio Valley Conference Newcomer of the Week honors. The honor marked her third of the season, having secured one award in each of the past three months.

With three OVC Newcomer of the Week awards during the 2020-21 season, Crawford has earned the most awards by an Eagle since Aliyah Jeune captured five honors during the 2018-19 season.

Behind a team-high 14 points and 12 rebounds, Crawford earned her eighth double-double of the season. With eight double-doubles this season, she's tied for the conference's lead in the category, ranking 36th in the NCAA.

Averaging 8.8 rebounds per game, Crawford ranks third in the OVC in rebounding. On the season, she's corralled 184 rebounds in 21 games with her 184 total rebounds ranking fourth in the conference and 38th in the country.

Joining Crawford in the top-10 in the conference in rebounding, sophomore Ariel Kirkwood ranks eighth in the league averaging 7.0 rebounds per game. With Crawford and Kirkwood averaging 8.8 and 7.0 rebounds per game, Morehead State is one of two teams in the conference—joined by Southeast Missouri—to have two players averaging seven or more boards per game.

The duo of Crawford and Kirkwood also lead Morehead State in shot-blocking, ranking second and third in the conference in blocked shots. The duo has blocked 35 and 51 shots, ranking 39th and 12th, respectively in the country.

In addition to Crawford and Kirkwood ranking in the top-10 in the OVC in blocked shots, redshirt sophomore Lauren Carter and junior Ellie Jo Johnson also rank, placing sixth and eighth in the conference in blocks. Carter owns 25 rejections on the season while Johnson has tallied 17.

With four players ranked in the top-10 in the conference in blocked shots, Morehead State is the only team to feature three or more players placing in the top-10. The only other program in the OVC with multiple players in the top-10 is UT Martin.

As a team, Morehead State has blocked 142 shots over 21 games, averaging 6.8 per game. The Eagles rank third in the NCAA in blocked shots while ranking fourth in the country in blocked shots per game, leading the OVC in both categories.

Elsewhere defensively, Morehead State ranks third in the OVC in three-point field goal defense, ranking 44th in the nation. The Eagles have held opponents to 122-of-441 from deep, surrendering a 27.7 three-point field goal percentage.

Morehead State also ranks towards the top of the league in reaching the free throw line, ranking second in the league in free throws made and third in free throw attempts. The Eagles rank 23rd in free throws made and 37th in free throw attempts in the NCAA, converting 296-of-397 attempts at the line this season.

As a team, Morehead State ranks second in the conference in average free throws made and free throw attempts, averaging 14.1 makes in 18.9 attempts per game this season.

Crawford leads Morehead State and ranks third in the OVC in both free throws made and free throw attempts, going 79-of-100 from the charity stripe. She also ranks ninth in the conference in free throw percentage at a 79.0 percent clip.

Shooting 67-of-83 from the charity stripe this season, Johnson leads Morehead State in free throw percentage with her 80.7 percent clip ranking seventh in the OVC. She also ranks ninth in the league in both free throws made and free throw attempts.

Crawford enters the week ranked third in the OVC in average free throw attempts (4.8) while ranking fifth in the conference in average free throws made (3.8). Johnson joins Crawford in the league's top-10, tying for ninth in both categories, averaging 3.2 makes in 4.0 attempts per game.