Marshall University Athletics
Marshall Plays in Televised Game Against Tulane
1/28/2012 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Jan. 28, 2012
Marshall Game Notes / / Live Audio
NEW ORLEANS, La. - Marshall women's basketball looks to break a four game losing streak with a road game against Tulane on Sunday at 12:00 ET. The contest will be featured on all Fox Sports networks as well as regionally on SportSouth.
This will be the eighth game between the two programs. Marshall enters the competition with a 12-7 record after losing to Memphis on Thursday, 71-58. Lateidra Elliott led the Herd with 13 points, while Shay Weaver had a season-high 11 points.
Marshall currently boasts the No. 41 ranked defense in the country, but will be going up against a Tulane defense that is ranked 18th in the nation after limiting opposition to 52.3 percent from the field for the season.
Marshall currently ranks second in Conference USA for three-point percentage with a 32.5 percent average and is led by the best three-point shooter in the league, Lateidra Elliott. The senior guard posts a 45.5 percent average from behind the arc after making 20-of-44.
The Herd holds a plus-6.0 scoring margin over opponents for the year and averages 61.4 points per game. Marshall is shooting 37.5 percent from the field and marks a 32.5 percent average for three-pointers. On the boards, Marshall is out-rebounding opponents by 6.8 boards per game and the Herd defense is average 11.2 steals per game, while forcing 19.7 turnovers per contest.
Tulane enters the contest against Marshall with a 14-5 (3-3 C-USA) record after winning their last two games against Tulsa and UAB. The Green Wave boast the 18th ranked defense in the nation after only allowing opponents 52.3 points per game. The Tulane defensive effort limits teams to only a 34.1 percent average from the field and 27.4 percent average from behind the arc. On the offensive side of the court, the Green Wave average 61.5 points per game, a plus-9.3 scoring margin and nearly a 40.0 percent shooting average. On the boards, Tulane averages 41.8 rebounds per game and a plus-6.5 rebounding margin.
Junior guard Olivia Grayson leads the team with 14.3 points per game and 59 assists per contest. She also leads the Green Wave defense with 50 steals, while grabbing 110 rebounds for the year. Senior center Brett Benzio follows with 9.3 points per game and leads the team with a 52.4 percent average from the field. She ranks No. 39 in the nation for blocked shots with a 2.2 average per game. Benzio leads the team in rebounds and is third in C-USA with 9.8 boards per game after grabbing 130 for the year.
The game will be offered through live audio at 88.1 FM-WMUL and online at www.marshall.edu/wmul. The contest will also be available through live stats, via www.herdzone.com.
