Marshall University Athletics
Marshall University
Tulane
Herd Women Lose Third Straight, Fall To Tulane, 64-54
2/11/2010 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Feb. 11, 2010
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. - Freshman Erica Woods scored a career-high 16 points, but Conference USA leader Tulane proved to be too much, downing the Marshall women's basketball team, 64-54, Thursday evening at the Cam Henderson Center.
Woods led all players with 16 points, hitting 7-of-14 shots. Seniors Chantelle Handy and Kendra King notched ten apiece for Marshall (13-11, 5-6 C-USA), who has now lost three-straight games.
Tulane (18-5, 7-3 C-USA) opened up a 5-0 advantage in the first two minutes before Handy got the Herd on the board with a jumper to make it 5-2.
The Green Wave kept the pressure on, seeing its lead grow to as many as 12 points, 26-14, with 2:46 remaining in the period. Chassity Brown scored a team-high nine points in the half, including three three-pointers.
Erica Woods helped the Herd stay in the game, eclipsing her previous career-high of 11 points by notching 12 in the half. She scored the final six of the half and 12 of the final 16 points in the stanza for Marshall. Even though MU outshot Tulane, .385-.333, it found itself down 31-20 at the break.
The offense saw its struggles continue in the second half as MU missed its first two shots while turning the ball over three times. Alaya Mitchell notched the first bucket of the half with 16:11 remaining to make it a 35-24 game in favor of Tulane.
A quick 5-0 spurt by the Green Wave pushed their lead to a game-high 16 points, 40-24, with just under 14 minutes remaining. With Tulane up 44-28, the Herd offense came alive, scoring eight in a row to cut the lead to single digits for the first time since the opening half.
Tania Walters scored four in the run which saw Tulane miss three shots, along with the front ends of three one-and-ones. Following a Tulane bucket, Marshall stormed back with two buckets to cut the deficit to six, 46-40. Following a Walters free throw miss, Adrian Randall hit a jumper to seal the run.
Tulane responded with five straight. Brett Benzio hit two free throws and after forcing an MU turnover, Tiffany Aidoo connected on the Green Wave's fifth trey of the game to go back up by 11.
The Herd fought back once again, chopping the lead to seven tallies, 53-46, with 4:32 remaining. It was not meant to be, however, as the Green Wave hit late free throws to come away with the win.
Thursday's game marked the third-consecutive loss for Marshall and also the third time in as many games that it failed to lead in the contest.
Marshall outrebounded Tulane, 42-34, while outshooting the Green Wave, .404-.380. Tulane had four scorers in double figures, led by 13-point performances from Brett Benzio, Chassity Brown and Roshaunda Barnes.
On Saturday, the Herd will look to end its streak, facing Tulane at 7 p.m. at the Cam Henderson Center.
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