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Women's Hoops to Battle OVC-Leading Leathernecks Saturday

2/20/2026 10:01:00 AM

By: Dean Hardin, Athletic Media Relations
GAME NOTES | SCHEDULE PAGE (Links to Live Audio, Live Video and Live Stats)

Morehead, Ky. -- Morehead State wraps up its road swing with an afternoon affair with the Ohio Valley Conference-leading Western Illinois Leathernecks. Tipoff in Western Hall is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. ET. The game can be heard on the Eagle Sports Network (flagship WIVY 96.3 FM) with Tom Lewis and Dean Hardin on the call. It can also be watched on ESPN+.
 
Morehead State heads into Saturday's games tied with Southern Indiana in third place in the OVC standings at 12-5, a game behind second-place Lindenwood and two games back of Western Illinois, who is at the top of the conference standings at 14-3.
 
Morehead State is coming off a 74-70 win over Eastern Illinois Thursday night in Charleston, Illinois. Violet McNece led four Eagles in double figures with a career-high of 19 points. Kate Dike came off the bench to score 17 points. Landon Forbes and Marie Sepp both finished with 12 points each.
 
The Eagles shot 27-51 (52.9%) from the floor, their second-highest efficiency of the season and the sixth-highest in an away game in the past 15 seasons. Morehead State dominated inside with a 42 18 advantage in points in the paint.
 
Western Illinois took advantage of a tough shooting night by Southern Indiana and thumped the Screaming Eagles 64-39. USI shot just 25% from the floor and went just 2-17 (12%) from three-point range. The trio of Mia Nicastro, Kaylen Reed and Addi Brownfield led the Leathernecks with 14 points apiece. Mallory Shetley added 10 markers.
 
WIU shot 23-51 (45%) from the floor and 26% (5-19) from three-point range. WIU shot just 13-24 (from the free throw line).
 
Morehead State defeated Western Illinois 63-53 back on January 22 in Johnson Arena. Four Eagles reached double figures led by Violet McNece with 18 points. McNece hit seven of nine from the floor, including four of six from three-point range. Kate Dike finished 17 and Laura Toffali added 13. Marie Sepp posted a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds.
 
MSU outrebounded WIU 36-32 and had 16 offensive rebounds, leading to a 14-5 edge in points off turnovers. The Eagles committed a then-season-low nine turnovers compared to 15 for the Leathernecks. MSU had a 17-6 advantage in points off turnovers. The Eagles were also excellent at the free throw line, hitting 16-18 (89%).
 
Western Illinois was led by Addi Brownfield who posted a double-double with 17 points and 10 rebounds. Mallory Shetley added 15. The Eagles held WIU's leading scorer Mia Nicastro to 12 points.
 
RECORDS/STREAK
 
Morehead State           17-11, 12-5 OVC/ W 2
Western Illinois            22-4, 14-3 OVC/ W 3
 
SERIES
 
Record vs. WIU:                    2-3
Last Meeting:                       MSU won 63-53 (1/22/26) in Morehead
First Meeting:                       WIU won 65-59 (1/27/24) in Morehead
Streak:                                   MSU, 1 game
Record in Morehead:          1-2
Record in Macomb:            1-1
Record at Neutral Sites:     0-0

NOTABLE
  • Morehead State ranks fifth in the conference averaging 62.3 points per game in conference play. Defensively, the Eagles rank second in the OVC, allowing an average of 60.4 points per game in OVC games.
  • With three games remaining on the schedule, the Eagles are tied for third in the OVC standings with Southern Indian at 12-5, a game behind Lindenwood alone in second place. MSU is two games ahead of Little Rock in fifth place.
  • Morehead State has gone 6-2 in the last eight games. In that span, the Eagles have hit 75.2% of their free throw attempts (100-133). In league play MSU has hit 73.3% from the line (6th in the OVC). On the season, MSU is hitting free throws at a 70.4% rate (8th in the OVC).
  • Morehead State is hitting three-pointers at a 30.7% rate in conference play, ranking sixth in the OVC. When Morehead State has hit threes at a 35% or better rate in league play, they have posted a 6-1 record. When the Eagles have shot less than 35% in league play, they have posted a 6-4 record.
  • In the last eight games, the Eagles averaged 13.4 turnovers per outing. Their opponents have coughed up the ball an average of 19.3 times per game.
  • The Eagles are averaging 14.9 turnovers per game in conference games. On the season MSU is turning the ball over at a 15.9 turnovers per game clip.
  • In conference games, the Eagles have posted a 6-1 record when they have turned the ball over 13 times or fewer. When MSU has turned the ball over 13 times, it has posted a 6-4 record in league games.
  • In conference play, MSU leads the OVC with 172 steals (10.1 per game). For the season, the Eagles ranks second in the conference averaging 9.6 steals per game. Southern Indiana leads the OVC averaging 10.4 steals per game for the whole season.
  • Laura Toffali tops the OVC with 81 steals this season. That ranks tied for 16th in the country. Her 2.96 steals per game rate ranks 19th in the nation.
  • Kate Dike leads Morehead State averaging 15.4 points (5th in the OVC) and 7.7 rebounds (6th in the OVC) per game in league play. She is averaging 14.6 points and 7.1 rebounds per game this season overall, ranking sixth in the OVC.
  • Dike ranks fifth in the OVC, hitting 47.1% from the floor in league play. Her 15 blocks in conference games are tied for eighth in the OVC.
  • Toffali ranks 19th in the OVC averaging 11.5 points per game in conference games. On the season, the Italian averages 11.9 points per game.
  • Toffali ranks 12th in the OVC, hitting 73.6% from the free throw line in conference games. On the season, she is hitting free throws at a 67.8% rate.
  • Marie Sepp returned to play Thursday after missing both games last week scoring 12 points. MSU is 8-3 in conference play when she scored in double figures. The Eagles are 3-3 in league play when she has been held in single digit scoring.
  • Landon Forbes was named the OVC's Newcomer of the Week Tuesday for her play last week. After leading the Eagles with 18 points last Thursday against Tennessee Tech, Forbes stuffed the stat sheet last Saturday in MSU's 79-53 win over Tennessee State. She posted 14 points, six rebounds and set new career-highs with eight assists and eight steals.
  • Forbes' eight steals last Saturday tied for the second-most in a game in the past 15 seasons.
  • Forbes ranks third in the OVC averaging 3.8 assists per game in conference games. She ranks second in the OVC with a 1.7 assist/turnover ratio.
  • Violet McNece set a new career-high with 19 points Thursday at Eastern Illinois. She has averaged 12.5 points per game in the last eight games, the second-most on the club.
  • McNece has finished in double figures in 12 games this season, including the last five in a row. She has averaged 16.2 points per game in the last five games.
  • In the last eight games, McNece shot 21-44 (47.7%) from three-point range. She has hit 52.2% (36-69) from the floor in the last eight outings. She ranks seventh in the OVC with 32 threes made in conference games.
  • Josefine Enander poured in 20 points Saturday against Tennessee State, her second 20+ points performance of the season. She hit five of her seven three-point attempts and went seven of nine from the floor.
  • Enander has hit 12 of her 13 free throws this season.
 
SCOUTING THE LEATHERNECKS
 
Head coach JD Gravina is in his 15th season as the head coach of Western Illinois. He has a record of 237-313, the all-time winningest coach in program history. Against Morehead State, he is 3-2.
 
In conference play, Western Illinois ranks second in the OVC averaging 73.4 points per game. Defensively, the Leathernecks rank third in the OVC allowing 60.4 points per game in league play. The Leathernecks lead the OVC with a +3.2 turnover margin. WIU is hitting free throws at a 78% rate.
 
  • Mia Nicastro leads the Ohio Valley Conference averaging 24 points per game. She ranks third in the OVC averaging 9.9 rebounds per game. She ranks second in the league hitting 52.7% from the floor.
  • Nicastro is hitting 90.7% from the free throw line this season, ranking second in the OVC and ninth in the country.
  • Addi Brownfield averages 12.5 points per game on the season, ranking 14th in the OVC. Brownfield is a 45% shooter from the floor.
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