Marshall University Athletics
Golden Eagles Invade Huntington on Thursday
1/29/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
GAME 19: MARSHALL (12-6, 4-3 C-USA) VS. SOUTHERN MISS (12-6, 5-2 C-USA)
Thursday, Jan. 29 | 6 p.m. ET
Huntington, W.Va. | Henderson Center (9,043)
| Live Video | Twitter | Game Notes
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. - Marshall women's basketball (12-6, 4-3) will look to secure a victory against Southern Miss (12-6, 5-2) at the Henderson Center when it takes on the Golden Eagles at 6 p.m. ET on Thursday in Huntington.
In addition to live tweets from @HerdWBB, live stats and live video streaming will be available through HerdZone.com.
SCOUTING THE GOLDEN EAGLES
USM (12-6, 5-2) is coming into the Henderson Center having won six of its last eight contests. The Golden Eagles are paced by Tamara Jones' 16.3 points and 6.3 rebounds. Jerontay Clemons has 46 assists on the season, Ashley Folsom has 13 blocks and Alex Coyne paces the team with 32 steals. Folsom shoots a team-high .533 (24-45) from the field, while Brooke
Rhodes is the team's top 3-point shooter (36-85, .424). Jones and Clemons are a combined 86 for 143 at the free throw line (.601).
HAVE YOU HERD?
Junior guard Norrisha Victrum (Columbia, S.C.) led Marshall offensively for the third consecutive game with 23 points and Leah Scott added 21 as the Thundering Herd recovered from a 15-point deficit to down the UTEP Miners 76-71 last Saturday. It marked the first time in seven seasons that two Marshall players netted 20+ points in the same game.
A HERD WIN WOULD...
Give Marshall its 13th win of the season. The last time the Herd reached that mark at an earlier point in the season was 2006-07 (Jan. 28)
Give the Herd its best start (5-3) to conference play since 2008-09, when it also started 5-3
Be Marshall's first against the Gold Eagles since Jan. 11, 2012 (55-44).
HOT SHOOTING ON THE ROAD!
The Herd's .479 (23-48) field goal shooting clip against the Miners was its best mark of the season against C-USA competition and the best on the road in league play since a .514 clip at UAB on Jan. 30, 2011. The Herd's .409 3-point percentage (9-22) was the highest in a road league game since 3/1/12 when MU made 9 of 18 attempts (.500) at UCF and the 21 free throws it made were the most since it made 22 at Houston on 1/5/12.
DEFENSIVE STANCE
The Herd is at or near the top of Conference USA in several defensive categories: field goal percentage defense (1st, .358), defensive rebounds (1st, 27.5/game), scoring defense (2nd, 58.6 ppg), 3-point field goal percentage defense (2nd, .267) and blocks per game (3rd, 4.0). Notably, its 3-point percentage defense (.260) ranks No. 18 among D-I women's basketball teams this season.
UNDAUNTED
Marshall is the only Conference USA team yet to register a losing streak this season. The Herd is 6-0 in games following a loss.
BLOCK PARTY
The Herd's tandem of senior center Chukwuka Ezeigbo (Trenton, N.J.) and sophomore forward Chelsey Romero (Hampton, Va.) are blocking their way into the Marshall record book. Ezeigbo ranks No. 4 with 108 career blocks, and needs 11 to reach Modupe Ishola's 119 from 2003-07. Romero has 69 at No. 8, and needs one to reach Tammy Simms' 71 from 1986-87.
THAT'S A FIRST
Marshall's 69-37 victory at Old Dominion (Jan. 8) was the first C-USA win on the road for the Herd under coach Matt Daniel, and the first since a 69-60 defeat of UCF on March 1, 2012, in Orlando, Fla. Notably, Old Dominion's 37 points were the fewest allowed by the Herd since a 40-37 win over UAB on Feb. 19, 2012.
MARSHALL IS UNBEATEN WHEN...
Leading or tied at half (10-0)
Leading or tied with five minutes remaining (10-0)
Shooting 40 percent or better from the floor (10-0)
Scoring 61 points or more (12-0)
The game is decided by 21 points or more (3-0)
Playing after a loss (6-0)
SPREADING THE WEALTH
Four players have led Marshall in scoring through 18 games this season. They are Leah Scott, AJ Johnson, Norrisha Victrum and Chukwuka Ezeigbo.
THREE-BALLING
AJ Johnson (Silver Spring, Md.) and Norrisha Victrum (Columbia, S.C.) are nearing the top of the Marshall record book in career made 3-pointers. Both rank in the top 10, with Johnson at No. 9 (82) and Victrum rouding out the group (77).
HOME SWEET HENDERSON CENTER
Since its inaugural season in 1981-82, the Herd is 275-165 (.625) at Cam Henderson Center. Last season, Marshall went 9-9 at home and won its third straight home debut.
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.
