Marshall University Athletics
Marshall Falls In Overtime To Clemson In SunSplash Shootout
12/22/2002 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Marshall Falls In Overtime To Clemson In SunSplash Shootout
12/22/2002
NASSAU, BAHAMAS--The Marshall Thundering Herd women?s basketball team (3-4) lost to the Clemson Tigers (6-2) in overtime Saturday night, 45-37. Marshall led by as many as ten in the game, but could not hold off the surging Tigers late in the second half and in overtime.
?We played great defense in the game tonight, but turnovers in the second half really caught up to us,? said Marshall coach Royce Chadwick. ?We knew we had to play ugly to win, and we did that. But, in every close game, there are two or three plays that could make or break you; Clemson made those plays, and we didn?t.?
In the first ever matchup between the two schools, Marshall dictated tempo and style of play throughout the game. The Thundering Herd held Clemson to only 16 first half points and a putrid 24.1% from the floor in the first half of play. MU led the Tigers 23-16 at the break, behind Ida Dotson?s (Tombstone, Ariz.) ten first half points.
The second half carried on like the first, as both teams struggled to put the ball in the basket. Catie Knable (Floyd Knobs, Ind.) scored the opening basket of the second half to increase Marshall?s lead to 25-16, and the Thundering Herd could taste an upset of the Tigers, who have been to 14 NCAA Tournaments in the last 15 years. Clemson coach Jim Davis would have none of Marshall?s plans, as he turned up the defensive pressure with a stifling half court trap defense. His Tigers slowly made their way back into the game behind the half-court trap, and with 6:34 to go in the game, Clemson took their first lead of the ball game at 31-30 on a layup by Leah Roper. Fourteen seconds later, Chrissy Floyd made a free throw to cap a 13-2 Tiger run.
However, the Herd would not go away quietly. Trailing by two with 1:22 to go in regulation, junior Cassie Hackworth (Piketon, Ohio) knocked down a 16-foot jumper to tie the game at 34. In the waning seconds of the second half, Marshall had an opportunity to pull off the upset with the last possession of the game, but could not get a shot off.
The overtime period belonged to the Tigers, as they outscored Marshall 11-3. Like the Radford game the week before, the Thundering Herd was torched at the free throw line by their opponent. Clemson scored nine of their 11 points at the free throw line, while the Thundering Herd never made an appearance at the line.
Marshall was led by Dotson, who did not score in the second half, with ten. Amy Reed grabbed a career high 15 rebounds, while Catie Knable added 11 boards.
Clemson got a game high 18 points from Lakeia Stokes. Freshman Amanda White had her second double-double of the season with 11 points and 13 rebounds.
The Thundering Herd take on Ole Miss tomorrow night at 6 p.m. The Rebels lost their first game of the season to the Oakland University Golden Grizzlies in Saturday?s nightcap.
