Marshall University Athletics
Marshall University
Salem International
@HerdWBB Topples Salem International, 84-41
12/10/2014 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Final Book 
| Postgame Press Conference
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. - A career-high 19 points from Chukwuka Ezeigbo (Trenton, N.J.) amid five double-figure scorers for the Thundering Herd helped Marshall women's basketball (5-2) in a 84-41 defeat of Salem International (0-10, 0-2) on Wednesday at Cam Henderson Center.
After giving up the first bucket of the game to the Tigers' Samantha Aikens, the Herd responded with a 15-0 run over 3:30, which included seven points from Ezeigbo. From that point, Marshall never surrendered its double-digit lead. The Herd's 39-15 lead marked its largest halftime margin of the year.
In the opening minutes of the second half, Marshall took a 30-point lead off a 13-0 run. With 1:09 remaining on the scoreboard, Marshall found its largest lead of the season when it gained a 45-point margin on the Tigers, up 82-37. The Herd ended up with the 84-41 win, marking its largest margin of victory since an 86-42 routing of WVU Tech last season (Dec. 9, 2013).
Ezeigbo ended with her second double-double of the year and the eighth of her career with 19 points and 10 rebounds. Leah Scott (Detroit) joined Ezeigbo on the double-double mark, gaining her third of the season and third of her career with 14 points and 10 rebounds. A trio of Herd players scored 10 apiece to round out double-figure scoring: AJ Johnson (Silver Spring, Md.), Norrisha Victrum (Columbia, S.C.) and McKenzie Akers (Princeton, W.Va.). Marshall also saw career highs from Johnson (six rebounds) and Ashley Lambert (Woodbridge, Va.) (seven points).
As a team, the Herd shot 47.4 percent from the floor (37-of-78), 21.7 percent from 3-point range (5-of-23) and 45.5 percent from the free throw line (5-of-11). Marshall had the upper hand in rebounds (56-40), points in the paint (56-18), points off turnovers (25-2), second chance points (11-6), fast break points (27-0) and bench points (25-0).
DANIEL DIALOGUE
Quotes from coach Matt Daniel:
On the team's defensive performance:
"We got better defensively as the night went on. We worked on the press and we worked on some things that we're going to have to do. We worked on getting it inside more. We took some emphasis and we switched some things at halftime to get more movement. We tried to grow as the game went on."
On the team's offensive performance:
"We share the ball pretty well. We're better when we share the ball. We started off the second half with a bang, getting good looks and easy looks and things of that nature. Offenses are designed to get easy looks and we were able to get those looks and finish those looks tonight."
On the team's ferocity despite a large lead:
"That was one of the things that I wanted to see in our faces; that we were competing and focused. I thought we tried that."
MILESTONES
- Marshall's largest lead this season: 45 (1:09, second half)
- Marshall's largest halftime lead this season: 24 (39-15)
- Marshall's largest margin of victory this season: 43 (84-41)
- Chukwuka Ezeigbo: career-high 19 points, eighth career double-double
- AJ Johnson: career-high six rebounds
- Ashley Lambert: tied career-high seven points
- Leah Scott: third career double-double
THE LAST TIMEââ'¬Â¦
- The Herd had five players in double figures: Nov. 27, 2009 - vs. Miami (Ohio) (W, 83-76)
- The Herd had 50 rebounds: March 11, 2014 - 51 vs. Florida Atlantic (W, 80-73)
THE SERIES
Marshall is unbeaten against the Tigers at 10-0 all-time.
LET'S GET SOCIAL
Keep up with the latest news about Herd basketball by liking the team's official Facebook page: Marshall University Basketball. For live in-game updates and news, follow @HerdWBB on Twitter. Want to see photos and behind-the-scenes action? Give @HerdWBB a follow on Instagram.
UP NEXT
Marshall will face Norfolk State in Norfolk, Va., on Tuesday, Dec. 16, at 6 p.m. For all the latest information about Marshall women's basketball, follow @HerdWBB on Twitter.
---HerdZone.com---
