Marshall University Athletics
Marshall University
Southern Miss
@HerdWBB Does in USM with Another Comeback Win
1/29/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. - After trailing by as many as 12 points, the Marshall Thundering Herd women's basketball team mounted an impressive comeback win Thursday night at the Cam Henderson Center, defeating the Southern Miss Golden Eagles 67-65.
The Herd improved to 13-6 on the season and 5-3 in Conference USA play, while Southern Miss fell to 12-7 and 5-3 in the league.
The Herd and Golden Eagles traded baskets for the opening stages of the first half, with neither side able to gain a significant advantage. Southern Miss then went on a 15-0 run in the second stage of the first half, taking the lead and moving to a 12-point advantage (33-21) with 4:51 remaining. Marshall was able to close the gap to end the first, scoring six unanswered to make the score 35-28 Southern Miss at halftime. Sophomore guard McKenzie Akers (Princeton, W.Va.) led the team with nine points at the half.
Senior center Chukwuka Ezeigbo (Trenton, NJ) opened the second half with eight consecutive Thundering Herd points. Marshall continued to chip away at the Southern Miss lead as the final period progressed, closing to within four points (61-57) with 2:55 remaining. The team mounted a 10-4 run, largely led by senior guard Leah Scott (Detroit), who scored six of those points.
A 3-pointer by senior guard AJ Johnson (Silver Spring, MD) brought the score to 62-60 with 2:41 left. The Herd took the lead after Akers found herself open at the top right of the key and buried a three with 1:35 left to give Marshall a 63-62 lead. Johnson made another three with 49 seconds left, making the lead 66-62.
The game took another turn when Tamara Jones scored a 3-pointer for Southern Miss with 13 seconds left to cut the Marshall lead to one. However, Scott was able to make one free throw to push the lead back to two. USM's Jones had a chance to send the game to overtime but came up short on a jumper as time expired, giving the Herd the comeback victory.
Johnson and Akers finished with 17 points apiece, while Scott notched 14 and seven assists. Ezeigbo posted her ninth double-double of the season with 10 points and 10 rebounds.
Southern Miss was led by Jones' 20 points, while Brooke Rhodes scored 17 and Jerontay Clemons added 14. Both Rhodes and Clemons notched eight rebounds apiece.
Thirty-four of Marshall's field goal attempts were 3-pointers, connecting on 11.
Southern Miss was whistled for a technical foul for having six players on the court with 11:54 left in the game. Marshall's Johnson made the ensuing two free throws.
The Herd returns to action Saturday at 1 p.m. to face Louisiana Tech, who is coached by Tyler Summitt, son of legendary Tennessee coach Pat Summitt. La Tech faced WKU in Bowling Green, Kentucky Thursday evening and came into the game with a 10-8 overall mark with a 5-2 league record.
