Marshall University Athletics
Marshall University
Southern Miss
Offense Explodes in Herd Women's Win Over Southern Miss
1/7/2007 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Jan. 7, 2007
Southern Miss-Marshall Game Book
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HUNTINGTON, W.Va. - The Marshall offense exploded on Sunday for season-highs in points and field goal percentage in the Thundering Herd's impressive 96-83 win over Southern Miss in Conference USA women's basketball action at the Cam Henderson Center.
Marshall (10-6, 3-1 C-USA) never trailed thanks in part to its 57.1 percent shooting. Six Herd players scored in double-digits, paced by a career-high 20 points from forward Meagan Samis (Oklahoma City, Okla.). Samis went 8-for-12 from the floor, including a 3-for-3 mark from 3-point range. Fellow forward Kendra King (Fairfax, Va.) tallied her second career double-double with 13 points and 13 rebounds to go along with two assists, two blocks and two steals.
The Herd offense began clicking as soon as the ball was tipped. Senior forward KaShawna Curry (Huntington, W.Va.) got things started with her eighth career 3-pointer and a jumper to follow to ignite a game-opening 8-0 run. Marshall's high-tempo style soon produced a double-digit lead that later ballooned to 22 points late in the half.
With King's jumper at 8:28 to give Marshall a 31-12 lead, the Herd began the game 13-of-19 from the floor for a stout 68.4 percent shooting clip. Samis netted 12 first-half points, the last coming on a 15-footer with five seconds left, to guide MU to a 48-29 advantage at intermission.
Southern Miss shot 42.3 percent in the opening half and 40.3 percent for the game. The Golden Eagles (8-8, 2-1) launched a season-high 21 three-pointers (10-of-21) for a 47.6 percent mark from distance.
The second half was more of the same for the Herd. After Kendra Reed nailed a 3-pointer to open the half and cut the USM deficit to 16 points, Marshall went on a 13-6 run highlighted by a Meg Withrow (Nitro, W.Va.) to Curry transition basket plus a foul. Curry, who scored 13 points, made her free throw to give MU a 58-36 edge.
The Marshall shooters continued their efficient play and never let Southern Miss seriously threaten its lead. The Golden Eagles clawed to within 14 points on an Anna Patterson trey at 7:13, but Marshall responded with another point spree to reclaim a 20-plus point lead.
"Our team is maturing and growing," Samis, playing in only her seventh game of the year due to NCAA transfer rules, said. "We're building more confidence as the games go on."
Reed netted a game- and season-high 28 points. The 2005-06 C-USA Co-Freshman of the Year went 9-of-16 from the floor and 6-of-8 from beyond the arc. In four career games against Marshall, Reed is averaging 20.8 points per game. Fellow sophomore Amber Eugene registered a double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds. Senior point guard Kristin Chaney dished out eight assists.
Marshall's double-double machine, senior Modupe Ishola (Washington, D.C.), played only 15 minutes due to foul trouble. Her imposing presence in the paint was not as severely missed with the Herd shooters on fire. The center did manage to finish with 12 points and seven rebounds.
Like last season's meeting in Hattiesburg, Miss., the game ended with several players on the bench due to foul outs. Five players were disqualified, three of which were Golden Eagles, leaving head coach Joye Lee-McNelis with only five players with under a minute to go. The 50 combined fouls in the game gave Marshall a 26-of-37 clip from the free-throw line while USM went 15-of-22.
"It was a rough-and-tumble game," Marshall head coach Royce Chadwick said. "It was very physical and there are going to be lots of bruises.
"We're happy to survive with the W."
The game also marked the third time this season and second straight game that Marshall committed at least 25 turnovers. The Herd, surprisingly, is 3-0 in those contests after registering 27 turnovers versus USM.
Withrow was outstanding at the point position, which took a blow with the recent injury to backup Bridget Chacon. Withrow recorded a career-high eight assists versus two turnovers with 11 points, five rebounds and a steal. Freshman Chantelle Handy (Durham, England) reached double-digits in back-to-back games for the first time of her career, netting 12 points with five assists.
The Herd's 96 points is its highest scoring output since netting 98 points in a home rout of WVU Tech on Dec. 1, 2001.
Marshall will travel to Houston, Texas, for its next game at Rice on Thursday.
