Marshall University Athletics
Herd Blitzed by Eastern Kentucky
12/30/2001 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Herd Blitzed by Eastern Kentucky
12/30/2001
RICHMOND, KY--The Marshall University women's basketball team (4-6) was beaten soundly by the host Eastern Kentucky Lady Colonels (8-3), 88-43, in final round play at the Comfort Suites Classic. The 45-point margin is the Herd's worse loss since a 103-55 drubbing at the hands of the Toledo Rockets during the 1998-99 season.
"We didn't play very well tonight," said coach Royce Chadwick. "We didn't execute first half breakaway opportunities, and it shook our confidence. And while ours went down, there's went up. As the game progressed, the leadership on this team faded."
The Lady Colonels dominated all facets of the game. They forced a season-high 38 Marshall turnovers and held the Herd to a season-low 29.2% from the floor (14-48), while they shot an impressive 50% (31-62). It was again a full-court, pressure defense that did in Marshall.
Marshall opened the game with a made bucket by Andrea Fitzgerald to give the Herd their last lead of the game at 2-0. EKU went on the attack, outscoring Marshall 26-4 in the next ten minutes of play to knock the visitors out of contention. The Herd never got closer than 20 points after that.
The Lady Colonels' Katie Kelly led all scorers with 17 points. Three other EKU players tallied double-figures.
Marshall was led by senior Au'Yana Ferguson (Louisville, Ky.) who notched a double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds. Catie Knable (Floyd Knobs, Ind.) added ten points.
The Herd return to play Wednesday night in their MAC opener against Northern Illinois. That game tips off at the Henderson Center at 7 p.m.
