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WBB Game 32 @ OVC Quarters

Eagle Women's Hoops Gearing Up for the OVC Tournament

3/4/2026 10:36:00 AM

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

Morehead, Ky. -- The Morehead State women's basketball team will open its Ohio Valley Conference tournament play Thursday in the Ford Center in Evansville, Indiana. The Eagles will take on the winner of Wednesday's #5 Little Rock/ #8 Southeast Missouri opening round games. Tipoff is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. ET. The game can be heard on the Eagle Sports Network (flagship WIVY 96.3 FM) with Tom Lewis and Wes Holland on the call. The game can be watched on ESPN+.
 
Morehead State drew a first-round bye in the tournament due to its fourth-place finish in the Ohio Valley Conference standings. The Eagles wrapped up the regular season last Thursday with a 73-68 loss at Little Rock.  Laura Toffali led all scorers, posting a career-high 32 points.
 
Little Rock comes into the Ford Center 3-2 in its last five games. The Trojans wrapped up the regular season with a 68-63 loss to Southern Indiana Saturday in Little Rock.
 
Southeast Missouri is one of the hottest teams in the OVC. The Redhawks are riding a four-game winning streak, the second-longest active streak in the conference (Lindenwood has won its last eight straight games). SEMO capped off its regular season with a 83-61 win over Tennessee Tech in Cape Girardeau Saturday to qualify for the eight-team conference tourney.
 
RECORDS/ STREAK
 
Morehead State           18-13, 13-7 OVC/ L 1
Little Rock                    15-15, 11-9, OVC/ L 1
Southeast Missouri    12-17, 8-12 OVC/ W 4
 
 
NOTABLE
  • Morehead State's 18 wins on the season and 13 conference wins are both the most for MSU since the 2018-19 season. That year's Eagle squad posted a 24-11 overall record and a 13-5 OVC mark.
  • The trio of Kate Dike, Marie Sepp and Laura Toffali were honored Tuesday by being named to All-Conference teams. Dike is an All-OVC 1st-Team selection. Toffali and Sepp were selected for the All-OVC 2nd-Team and OVC All-Newcomer Team.
  • Laura Toffali was named an OVC Co-Defensive Player of the Year along with Western Illinois' Addi Brownfield. Toffali finished the regular season with 94 steals, just one away from tying to school record set by MSU great Chynna Bozeman in the 2010-11 season. Her 94 steals tie her for the 11th-most in the country. Her 3.03 steals per game is 18th in the nation.
  • MSU leads the OVC with 198 steals in conference play, averaging 9.9 steals per game. In the Eagles' last eight games of the season, they averaged 11.6 thefts per outing.
  • Morehead State ranked sixth in the OVC scoring 63.5 points per game in Ohio Valley -Conference play. The Eagles ranked fourth in the league allowing 61.2 points per game in conference games.
  • Morehead State averages 41.9% from the floor in the Ohio Valley Conference play, ranking fourth in the league. Defensively, the Eagles' opponents' 40.3%; that ranks fifth in the OVC.
  • Morehead State ranks fourth in the OVC hitting 31.7% from three-point range in Ohio Valley Conference play.
  • The Eagles have attempted 794 three-pointers this season, averaging 25.6 attempts per game. MSU ranks 25th in the country with that rate.
  • Dike leads MSU averaging 14.5 points (6th in the OVC) and 7.1 rebounds (5th in the OVC) per game. She ranks fifth in the OVC hitting 48.2% from the floor this season. She ranks 12th in the OVC hitting 69.4% from the free throw line.
  • Dike posted 17 of her 22 blocked shots on the season in OVC games, ranking ninth in the conference.
  • Toffali has averaged 12.4 points per game this season, ranking 16th in the OVC.
  • Toffali finished out the season with a bang, pouring in a career-high 32 points. She shot 11-21 from the floor, including three of six from three-point range and hit seven of eight at the free throw line. She pulled down seven rebounds and posted five steals for the second game in a row.
  • Marie Sepp has dished out 127 assists this season. Her 4.38 assists per game rate ranks second in the OVC.
  • In conference games this season, when Sepp scored 10 or more points, the Eagles posted a 10-2 record. When Sepp scored in single digits, the Eagles went 4-3. In the two games she missed (Feb. 12 vs. Tennessee Tech and Feb. 14 vs. Tennessee State) the Eagles split.
  • Violet McNece has come on strong to close out the season, finishing in double figures in seven of the Eagles' last eight games. In that span, she led MSU averaging 14.9 points per game. She hit 28-54 (51.9%) from three-point range to close out the season. She ranked
  • Last Thursday in the Eagles' home finale, McNece dropped a career-high 23 points against Southern Indiana. She shot 7-10 from the floor, including 5-7 from three-point range, and hit all four of her free throws.
  • McNece went 62-150 (41.3%) from three-point range this season, ranking fifth in the OVC for made treys.
  • McNece had 22 blocks this season ranking 11th in the OVC. In conference play, she turned away 13 blocks, ranking 14th in the OVC.
  • Landon Forbes ranked third in the with 77 assists in conference games, averaging 3.9 helpers per game. Her 1.54 assists/turnover ratio in league play ranks fourth in the OVC.
  • Forbes led the Eagles hitting 87.5% (49-56) from the free throw line this season. In conference play, she hit 40-45 (88.9%).
 
SCOUTING THE TROJANS
 
n Ohio Valley Conference play, Little Rock averaged scoring 60.8 points per game, ranking eighth in the OVC. Defensively, the Trojans gave up an average of 62.2 points per game; that ranked fifth in the league.  The Trojans ranked ninth in the league hitting 37.6% from the floor. Defensively, Little Rock held its opponents to just 37.4% shooting, the second-lowest percentage in the OVC.
 
The Trojans are led by All-OVC 1st-Team selection Jordan Holman who averaged 17.9 points per game in conference games, ranking third in the OVC. Her 7.9 rebounds per game was the fifth highest average in the conference in league play.
 
SCOUTING THE REDHAWKS
 
Southeast Missouri averaged 64.5 points per game in OVC games this season, ranking fifth in the conference. The Redhawks averaged allowing 97.1 points per contest, ranking ninth in the OVC. SEMO hit 42.9% from the floor in conference play, ranking third in the OVC.
 
Carmen Taylor leads the Redhawks averaging 13.1 points per game this season, ranking 13th in the OVC. Kearra Jones ranks 14th in the OVC averaging 5.6 rebounds per game.
 
 
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