GAME NOTES | SCHEDULE PAGE (LINKS TO LIVE AUDIO, LIVE VIDEO AND LIVE STATS)
MOREHEAD, Ky. -- Morehead State men's basketball heads to the furthest Ohio Valley Conference reaches of Illinois on Saturday as the Eagles will be in Macomb to face Western Illinois. Winners of four straight, MSU will tip off at 4:30 p.m. ET. against the Leathernecks.
The game will air on ESPN+. Fans can listen to the Eagle Sports Radio Network with Chuck Mraz and
Matt Schabert on WIVY-96.3 FM (flagship station), on WMST 106.9 FM, WPKE 98.1 in Pikeville, WPRT 104.5 in Prestonsburg or on MSUEagles.com.
Morehead State leads the all-time series with Western Illinois 7-4 and is 4-1 since the Leathernecks joined the OVC in 2023-24. MSU won the first three league matchups before WIU picked off the Eagles 72-67 in Macomb, Ill., last February. The last three games in the WIU series have been decided by four, five and five points.
WIU has been eliminated from the OVC Tournament, struggling to a 5-23 overall and 1-16 conference mark. Lucas Lorenzen has been a highlight, though, with 15.5 points per game.
2025-26 RECORDS
MSU: 16-12, 12-5 OVC | WIU: 5-23, 1-16 OVC
SERIES INFORMATION
Record vs. WIU: 7-4
First Meeting: 11/30/81 MSU won 81-73 at MSU
Last Meeting: 1/22/26 MSU won 71-66 at MSU
Streak: MSU, W1
Record vs. WIU in Macomb, Ill.: 2-3
Record vs. WIU in Morehead: 5-1
Neutral Record: 0-0
LAST 5 GAMES
1/27/24 MOREHEAD, KY. W 64-50
2/22/24 Macomb, Ill. W 78-57
1/16/25 MOREHEAD, KY. W 51-47
2/15/25 Macomb, Ill. L 72-67
1/22/26 MOREHEAD, KY. W 71-66
NOTABLE
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Davion Cunningham led four Eagles in double figures with 18 points as MSU fended off the Leathernecks 71-66 in the first meeting in Morehead on Jan. 22.
Jon Carroll set his career high with 15 rebounds.
• MSU has clinched a spot in the eight-team OVC Tournament coming up on March 4-7 in Evansville, Ind. The Eagles are currently tied for first place at 12-5 with three games to play.
• In the past three games (120 minutes worth), MSU has only trailed for 13:32.
• Morehead State leads the OVC in assist/turnover ratio (1.1) and field goal percentage (.467). In the past two games, Morehead State shot 57 percent from the floor and hit 54 percent in the past three outings. MSU is 8-1 this season when it hits 50 percent or better and 45-1 in those scenarios in the past five seasons.
• MSU has won 41 straight games when its opponent scores 60 or less, since falling to No. 23-ranked Murray State on Feb. 12, 2022.
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Jon Carroll is 40-of-49 (.816) at the free throw line in the last 10 games. He is also 36-of-58 (.620) from the field in the past seven games.
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George Marshall, Jr., now has 1,150 career points. It marks the fifth straight season an Eagle reached 1,000 career college points during the season. His favorite road arena to shoot in has become EIU's Groniger Arena. Marshall has averaged 23.5 ppg in his two career games there.
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George Marshall, Jr., ranks second among all OVC players with 99 free throws made. He has made 83 percent of his free tosses during his three-year MSU career.
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Jon Carroll earned this week's OVC Newcomer of the Week honor after averaging 20.0 points and 9.5 rebounds per outing in the Eagles' two wins last week. Carroll ranks No. 3 in the conference in total rebounds (212).
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Davion Cunningham shot 14-of-20 (.700) in the past two games, averaging 17.5 ppg in that span. Cunningham and
George Marshall combined to hit 17-of-21 (.809) at Eastern Illinois Feb. 19.
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Chase Dawson and
Davion Cunningham have both now eclipsed 800 career collegiate points and are both nearing the 900 threshold. Dawson (887) Cunningham (886) each reached or exceeded the 800 threshold vs. Western Illinois Jan. 22.
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Vince Dawson III, known to the team as "Trip", leads MSU by hitting 42 percent from "trip" range - three-point range.
• Morehead State has scored at least 70 points in 19 games. MSU ranks third in the conference in scoring offense at 76.0 per game.
• The Eagles rank second in the OVC in rebound margin (+2.9) in league matchups.
• Morehead State has generated a positive rebound margin in eight of the past nine seasons.
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Tamaury Releford leads MSU, hitting 62 percent of his field goal attempts.
• In conference games, MSU ranks second in the league in free throw percentage at .758.
• The Eagles boast a 11-3 record this season when they make more free throws than the opponent.
• On the season, the Eagles have been outscored by 15 (1012-997) in the first half but have outscored opponents by 26 (1,110-1,084) in the final halves.
