Marshall University Athletics
Miami Outlasts Herd In Overtime, 89-81
3/4/2003 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Miami Outlasts Herd In Overtime, 89-81
3/4/2003
Oxford, Ohio--The Marshall women?s basketball team dropped an overtime decision to the Miami RedHawks, 89-81, Tuesday night at Millett Hall.
The Thundering Herd led for a majority of the first half, and at the under-four media timeout, Marshall held a 35-26 lead behind a balanced scoring attack. Two minutes later, the Herd took a 39-29 lead into the halftime break; Sikeetha Shepard-Hall (Houston, Tex.) led Marshall on the offensive end of the floor, pouring in ten first half points. Amy Smith (Ramstein, Germany) added eight points, and Nadia Swanigan (Sylacauga, Ala.) chipped in seven points in the first half of play. Marshall shot 50% from the floor, made four of six shots from beyond the arc, and outrebounded the RedHawks, 20-13, in the first half.
The RedHawks made a second half run, mainly powered by Miami guaad Heather Cusick. The 2002 MAC Player-of-the-Year gave the RedHawks the lead at 56-54 with 10:48 left in the game. However, Marshall would not go away, as the Herd tied the game at the six minute mark, and retook the lead at 67-65. However, the lead would be shortlived, as both teams battled back-and-forth until the final buzzer. With the score tied at 76, Miami got the last shot of the game, but Cusick?s desperation 30-foot jumper fell short, forcing the game to overtime, the Herd?s sixth this season.
Miami blew open the game in overtime, starting with a layup by RedHawk Colleen Day. Marshall had several opportunities to knot the game, but fell short on key layup attempts. Day and her teammates knocked down seven of eight free throws to ice the game for Miami.
Shepard-Hall led Marshall with 25 points, while junior guard Amy Smith scored a career-high 20 points.
