Marshall University Athletics
Marshall Women Douse Colgate, 86-68
12/19/2004 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Marshall Women Douse Colgate, 86-68
12/19/2004
- Box Score
ORLANDO ? Marshall played perhaps its most complete game of the season to earn an 86-68 victory over Colgate on Sunday at UCF Arena in the final day of the UCF Christmas Classic.
Marshall (4-4) shot a season-high 54.5 percent from 3-point range and rode solid performances from five double-digit scorers to earn a split in the UCF-hosted event. Sikeetha Shepard-Hall (Houston, Texas) scored a game-high 19 points and was 3-of-4 from 3-point range. She was joined in double-figures with 12 points apiece by Teyonka Hodge (Washington, D.C.), Crystal Champion (Washington, D.C.) and Modupe Ishola (Washington, D.C.) along with 10 points from Kim Griffin (Valdosta, Ga.).
Ishola posted her third double-double of the season when she added 10 rebounds.
The Thundering Herd bounced back strongly after Saturday?s disappointing loss to Florida International. Royce Chadwick?s squad dominated play in the second half and on the boards, out-rebounding Colgate 44-31. Marshall notched 12 steals and forced Colgate (3-7) into 21 turnovers.
The Herd ended the game on a 16-5 run on the way to evening its record going into the season's final tournament next week. MU's 51.4 field goal percentage tied a season-high (Morehead State, 12/1/04).
Colgate, the defending Patriot League champions, was up to the challenge in the first half and led for much of the period. Marshall took a brief 21-20 lead when Shepard-Hall connected on the team?s first 3-point bucket of the game. The teams traded scores before Reshundra Smiley (Modesto, Calif.) soon followed with a trey to regain the lead for Marshall. The Herd finished the first half shooting 60 percent from 3-point range (3-for-5).
Smiley scored a career-high nine points by going 3-of-6 from 3-point land.
Mary Pat Statler (New Cumberland, W.Va.) ended the first stanza by scoring the half?s final four points ? a jumper plus two free throws ? to send Marshall into the break up 41-38. Champion was 5-for-5 and Ishola 3-for-3 in the first half.
Colgate started the game with a hot hand from beyond the arc, hitting four of its first six 3-point attempts. Molly Patterson began 3-of-3 from downtown within the game?s first eight minutes to give the Raiders an 18-10 edge. The sophomore guard entered the game with a 48.3 percent 3-point success rate and finished the game 4-of-10.
Patriot League Co-Preseason Player of the Year Emily Braseth led the Raiders with 17 points and grabbed eight rebounds. Patterson scored 14 points and added six assists.
Marshall?s next action will come at the Terrapin Classic at the University of Maryland. The Herd will face Elon on Dec. 29 at 5 p.m.
Notes: Sunday?s game was the Thundering Herd?s first-ever meeting with Colgate?Marshall is 6-2 all-time versus Patriot League teams, including a 2-0 record this season (def. Lehigh 68-66 on Nov. 20)?Sikeetha Shepard-Hall has recorded a 3-pointer in every game this season?Reshundra Smiley started both games this weekend, the first starts of her career at MU after transferring from Central Arizona C.C...Crystal Champion scored in double-digits in 4-of-8 games, only Shepard-Hall has reached 10-plus points more (six times).
