Marshall University Athletics
Women's Basketball Drops Season-Opener to ASU, 64-55
11/12/2010 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Nov. 12, 2010
FARMVILLE, Va.- Marshall's Tynikki Crook tallied her 1,000th career point but it wasn't enough to overtake Appalachian State, as the Herd dropped its season-opener 64-55, in game one of the Lancer Classic on Friday night at Willet Hall. Crook led MU with a team-high 14 points and six rebounds.
The Thundering Herd falls to 0-1 on the season, while Appalachian State takes its second-straight victory over Marshall to begin its 2010-11 campaign at 1-0.
Both teams struggled to gain control in the early going, turning the ball over six times in the first four minutes. Marshall drained the opening two baskets of the game, the first coming on a Lateidra Elliott steal and layup, followed by a Tynikki Crook put back on the subsequent possession.
Appalachian State's Ashlen Dewart came off the bench early to spark the Mountaineers, connecting on three of the teams first four field goals.
The squads would trade baskets throughout most of the first half with Marshall enjoying the largest lead of the half, 13-7, at the 12:02 mark.
Sam Ramirez drained her second three pointer of the contest to send the Mountaineers into the break with a 28-27 advantage.
Dewart would strike again in the second half, hitting on back-to-back possessions to give the Mountaineers a 38-35 lead at the 15:19 mark. However, Marshall's lone senior would retaliate by scoring the Herds next eight points. Crook's layup in the paint with 12:55 remaining in the contest would inaugurate her into the 1,000th point club. Crook enters as one of just 17 Thundering Herd players in program history to reach the milestone and is the first since Modupe Ishola (2003-07) to reach the plateau.
A pair of Rashedah Henriques free throws would give Marshall its first lead since the 15:54 mark but the Herd would relinquish its advantage just :20 seconds later and was unable to regain it for the remainder of the contest.
The Mountaineers would use a 14-6 run to take its largest lead of the night at 60-53.
A Veronica Ruiz jumper with just 1:26 on the clock would bring MU within five but Ramirez would nail four consecutive free throws to solidify the game for the Mountaineers.
"We did a really good job of executing in the first half and for about 10 minutes in the second half," head coach Royce Chadwick said. "We didn't do a really good job of finishing the game. With three minutes to go, we did not execute with the experience factor that we should have with our older players on the floor. Too many turnover and too many missed opportunities. When the game's on the line you have to step up and make those plays."
Ramirez connected for 12 of her game-high 20 points in the second half. Fellow preseason All-SoCon selection Anna Freeman added 7 points 8 boards, three assists, four blocks and one steal for the Mountaineers.
Ruiz and Henriques would join Crook in double-figures, chipping in 13 and 12 points, respectively. Lateidra Elliot added nine points and five assists in her first appearance with the Herd.
Marshall wastes no time preparing for its second matchup of the season, set to tipoff at 5 p.m., on Saturday night against host Longwood. In the last meeting the Herd defeated the Lancers 76-66 in the consolation game of the Lady Luck Tournament, dating back to Dec. 29, 2005. Longwood is set to open its season against Campbell in the second contest of the Lancer Classic on Friday night.
