GAME NOTES (PDF) | SCHEDULE PAGE (LINKS TO LIVE VIDEO, LIVE AUDIO AND LIVE STATS)
MOREHEAD, Ky. -- Morehead State has a long history of winning basketball. Head Coach
Preston Spradlin has led a resurgence of the program lately, and this year's Eagles are on the precipe of accomplishing something that hasn't happened in 20 years. The Eagles host Lindenwood on Saturday at 3 p.m. ET with the opportunity to clinch at least a share of the program's 10th OVC regular-season title.
MSU will go for the season sweep of first-year OVC foe Lindenwood. The Eagles' last outright OVC regular-season trophy came in 1983-84 with a co-title last happening in 2002-03. If MSU defeats Lindenwood, it will then only need one more win to secure that outright title.
Saturday is also Family Day at the game, sponsored by the MSU Family Association.
The game can be heard on the Eagle Sports Radio Network (WIVY-96.3 FM) with Chuck
Mraz and Drew Barnette. It is also available on MSUEagles.com as well as network partner
WGOH 100.9 FM/1370 AM. Jared Stacy and Dean Hardin have the call on ESPN+.
2022-23 RECORDS
MSU: 18-10/11-4 OVC | LIN: 9-19/4-11 OVC
SERIES RECORD
Record vs. LIN: 1-0
First Meeting: 1/21/23 MSU won 72-63 at LIN
Last Meeting: Same
Streak: MSU, 1 game
Record in St. Charles, Mo.: 1-0
Record in Morehead: 0-0
Neutral Record: 0-0
NOTABLE
• Morehead State has won 9 OVC regular-season titles in its history: 1955-56, 1956-57, 1960-61, 1962-63, 1968-69, 1971-72, 1973-74, 1983-84 and 2002-03.
• Morehead State boasts a 12-2 home record this season, and the Eagles are 36-5 at Johnson Arena in the past three years. This season, MSU also boasts a +15.8 scoring margin at home and a +9.6 rebound margin. The last three opponents to enter Johnson Arena have only averaged 53 points a game.
• Morehead State ranks first in the conference in scoring defense at just 67.1 points. MSU has held five different opponents to at least 10 points below their season scoring average in wins this season.
• MSU boasts the league's best rebounding margins at +4.7. The Eagles have 11 games where they have registered at least a +10 rebound margin. MSU is 15-1 when out-rebounding opponents this season and 53-10 in those instances in the past three years.
• MSU ranks No. 1 or 2 in the league in eight different stats categories.
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Mark Freeman ranks fourth overall in scoring (15.6/game). He's had nine games with at least 18 points in OVC play and is one of only two players (along with SEMO's Phillip Russell) to score 25+ in four games against OVC teams.
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Alex Gross is one of just 14 current players on Division I teams to score 2,000+ career points in college. He is the ONLY current player in Division I to record 2,000+ points AND 1,400+ career rebounds in college (Gross' first four seasons were in NAIA). His career college totals stand at 2,358 points and 1,433 career rebounds.
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Alex Gross' 19-point, 13-rebound double-double against Tennessee State was his sixth double-double as an Eagle and now his 50th collegiate double-double in the past three seasons.
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Alex Gross leads the OVC in blocked shots with 54 and has had at least one swatted away in all but three games. He had a career-high five rejections against Tennessee State Thursday and now has 417 career blocks in college.
• MSU has had at least four players reach double figures in points in 12 games this season and had two games with six players with 10+ points.
• Among the 8 Division I men's basketball programs in Kentucky, Morehead State ranks first in wins in the last three seasons - 64.
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Preston Spradlin ranks first among the 10 current OVC head coaches in wins at their current school (110), winning percentage at their current school (.528), conference wins at the school (70) and conference winning percentage (.569).
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Preston Spradlin has led MSU to its third straight season with at least 18 wins. It's just the fourth time in program history with three consecutive 18+ win campaigns. MSU has won 20+ in three straight 1 time.
