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MOREHEAD, Ky. – Having seen a pair of games postponed in the past two weeks, Morehead State women's basketball hits the road for the first of two rescheduled contests looking to build upon several game, season, and career-highs from the team's last game. The Eagles faced Jacksonville State Tuesday afternoon in Jacksonville, Ala.

Leading the way last time out versus Murray State was sophomore Ariel Kirkwood who collected her fifth double-double of the year behind a 19-point and 14-board performance. She finished the contest as the game's leader in both categories as she finished one point and two boards shy of season-highs in both categories.

With her double-double, she moves into fourth in the Ohio Valley Conference in the category while her teammate, redshirt sophomore Gabby Crawford ranks second in the league with six double-doubles, nearly picking up her league-leading seventh with 14 points and eight rebounds versus the Racers.

Crawford and Kirkwood each scored seven field goals apiece, marking a career and season-highs, respectively, for the duo. Kirkwood's point total also benefitted from a career-high-tying three makes from behind the arc.

Junior Ellie Jo Johnson also got in on the season and career-highs, leading a 15-assist Morehead State attack with a season-best four helpers while also adding a career-high-tying three blocks. She's also looking to build upon a season-best 15 points scored in Morehead State's earlier meeting with Jacksonville State which led all Eagle scorers.

The Eagles and Gamecocks are slated to tip from Pete Mathews Coliseum at 7 p.m. ET Tuesday with the game airing on ESPN+ and the Kentucky Office of Highway Safety Eagle Sports Network (MSUEagles.com and WIVY-96.3 FM).

INSIDE THE SERIES
Records: Morehead State (5-11; 4-8 OVC) | Jacksonville State (8-6; 5-5 OVC)
Series: Morehead State leads 23-15
Last Five Meetings: Jan. 9, 2021 (JSU 69, MOR 56) | Jan. 25, 2020 (MOR 69, JSU 55) | Jan. 2, 2020 (MOR 67, JSU 48) | Mar. 6, 2019 (MOR 77, JSU 60) | Feb. 21, 2019 (JSU 68, MOR 57)

NOTABLE
Picking up a double-double behind game-highs in points (19) and rebounds (14) against Murray State last Thursday, Ariel Kirkwood ranks fourth in the Ohio Valley Conference in double-doubles with five this season. Just ahead of her for the team lead is Gabby Crawford, who ranks second in the league with six double-doubles.

As part of her game-high rebounding total, Kirkwood split her boards evenly between the offensive glass, grabbing seven apiece on the offensive and defensive ends. Her seven offensive rebounds marked the second-highest individual total for an Eagle this season while marking Kirkwood's team-leading third game with five or more offensive rebounds.

In addition to her game-high totals in points and rebounds, Kirkwood also tied a career-high with three three-pointers made, collecting all three of the Eagles' makes from beyond the arc. She was joined by Crawford and Ellie Jo Johnson in establish career highs as the duo set career-bests in field goals made (seven) and blocks (four), respectively.

Morehead State recorded a season-high 15 assists versus Murray State last Thursday with the total being the team's highest since passing out 15 helpers versus SIUE on Jan. 9, 2020.

Speaking of assists, Kirkwood ranks 11^th in the OVC in total assists, dishing out 48 on the season. Since assuming the role as the team's primary ball-handler on Jan. 11, she's recorded 34 of her 48 assists.

The Eagles enter the week as one of eight women's programs in Division I to have 100 or more blocks this season, being one of just three with 120 or more blocks. As a team, Morehead State holds 120 blocks in 16 games, averaging 7.5 rejections per contest, totals that rank third and first in the NCAA, respectively.

Morehead State is also one of 13 NCAA Division I programs (men's or women's basketball) with 100 or more blocks this season and one of just four with 120 or more blocks.
Morehead State is also the only women's basketball program to rank in the top-3 in the country in both blocked shots and blocked shots per game. The Eagles are one of two programs across men's and women's Division I basketball to rank top-3 in both categories, joined by the Kentucky men's program.

Individually, Morehead State has a pair of players who rank in the top-25 in the country in blocked shots with Kirkwood and Crawford ranking 11^th and 26^th, respectively. Ranking second in the OVC with 44 total blocks while Crawford ranks third with 33 total blocks.

The duo of Kirkwood (2.75) and Crawford (2.06) also both rank top-50 in the country in blocked shots per game, ranking 15^th and 47^th, respectively. Again, the duo ranks second and third, respectively, in the OVC in the category.

Morehead State is also the only team in the OVC with four players ranked in the top-10 in the conference in blocked shots, claiming the second, third, sixth, and seventh entrants in the league's top-10. In addition to Kirkwood and Crawford, Lauren Carter (17) and Ellie Jo Johnson (13), respectively, also rank for the Eagles.

The Eagles also continue to be one of the top teams in the OVC in reaching the free throw line, ranking second in the OVC in both average free throw attempts and free throws made per game, averaging 19.6 attempts per contest and 14.5 makes.

Overall, Morehead State ranks third in the conference in total free throw attempts and total free throws made, going 232-of-314 at the line this season. The Eagles rank 39^th in the nation in free throws made while ranking 53^rd in free throw attempts.

Having gone 59-of-72 from the charity stripe this season, Johnson ranks fourth in the conference in free throw percentage at a clip of 81.9 percent. With an accuracy of over 80 percent from the line, she is one of eight players in the OVC to shoot above this benchmark.

Morehead State also enters the week as one of two teams in the OVC—joined by Southeast Missouri—with two players ranked in the top-10 in the league in rebounding. Crawford ranks second in the league, corralling 8.9 boards per contest with Kirkwood ranking sixth at 7.9 rebounds per game.

Morehead State extends condolences to the family and loved ones of former women's basketball head coach Mikey Wells who passed away Monday. The winningest coach in MSU women's basketball history led the Eagles to 156 wins, three 20-win seasons, and three conference titles (one OVC and two KWIC).