Mya Skoff scored a career-high 20 points as she led the Lindenwood Lions women’s basketball team (13-7, 9-2 OVC) to an 86-70 win over the SIUE Cougars (4-16, 2-9 OVC). The win is the fourth in a row for the Lions, as they now sit one game back of first place in the conference.
Justis Odom was the second leading scorer on the night, as she picked up right where she left off scoring 11 points and dishing out a career-high six assists. Gracy Wernli was the last double-digit scorer for the Lions, who has now scored in double figures in six straight games, scoring 10 points. Overall, the Lions had 10 players make their way into the scoring column on the night.
The Lions started the game red hot jumping out to a quick 17-2 lead on 7/9 shooting. Lindenwood would control the pace for much of the quarter leading 23-10 after the first and shooting the Cougars 69.2%-23.5% from the floor. Wernli and Mykayla Cunningham would lead the way with five points each while Odom and Skoff each had four in the opening quarter.
Lindenwood would extend their lead to 18 at 28-10 to begin the second, before the Cougars found their touch from long range. A pair of 6-0 runs throughout the quarter cut the Lions lead to seven with 1:16 to go in the quarter, but Skoff would drill a three with 10 seconds left to give Lindenwood a 45-34 lead at the break. Skoff led the way with 12 points for the Lions, as Odom had nine and Brooke Coffey had seven headed into the locker room.
The Lions would keep their foot on the gas in the third as they would run their lead back to 16 after threes from Skoff and Cunningham. Lindenwood went on a 6-0 run to end the third highlighted by three-pointers from Brueggemann and Skoff. As a team, Lindenwood went 4/6 from three in the third and headed into the fourth quarter with a commanding 71-48 lead.
SIUE would try to make a run in the final quarter of play out scoring the Lions 22-15 but it was too little too late as the Lions cruised to an 86-70 win. Lindenwood now sits at 9-2 in Ohio Valley Conference Play. Their 86 points mark the most against a Division I team this season and the second most through 20 games.
The Lions will be back in action on Saturday, Feb. 1 as the Lions play host to the OVC-leading Eastern Illinois Panthers with a chance at moving into a tie for first place in the conference. The game starts at 1:00 p.m. streaming exclusively on ESPN+.
