Marshall University Athletics
@HerdWBB Gets Set for the Capital Classic
12/12/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Game Notes
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. - The Marshall women's basketball team will take on in-state rival West Virginia in the annual Capital Classic Sunday Dec. 13. Tipoff is set for 4 p.m. from the Civic Center in Charleston.
It will be the 55th meeting between the Herd and the Mountaineers. The two schools have been meeting annually since 1973-74. Marshall (6-0) is off to its best start since 1971-72. WVU (6-2) enters the contest on a four-game winning streak.
RECORD BOOK WATCH
The Herd has a few players who are approaching career milestones and rising up the ranks of the program record book.
Senior Leah Scott has scored 102 points this season for a career total of 935. 65 points away from becoming the 19th player in team history to score 1,000. She also ranks 11th all-time with 225 free-throws made and needs 15 more to be in the top 10.
Senior Norrisha Victrum can be found in a few places in the record book. Victrum has 292 assists and needs 8 to pass Kristi Huff (1988-92) for 6th all-time. Victrum also currently ranks 9th in 3-point field goals made (94) and 9th in 3-point field goals attempted (296). Victrum needs 247 points to become the 20th player to reach 1,000 for her career.
Junior Chelsey Romero has 11 blocks this season to give her a career total of 95. Romero is in 5th place all-time and needs 5 more blocks to become the 5th player in program history with 100 in a career.
TOURNAMENT PLAY
Marshall made it to the Women's Basketball Invitational (WBI) at the end of the 2014-15 season. It was the Herd's first appearance in postseason play since going to the NCAA Tournament in 1997 after winning the Southern Conference Championship. Marshall won its first ever postseason game when it defeated Northern Kentucky 81-79 (3/19/15) in the first round of the WBI. Marshall lost a close one in the second round 73-71 at Mercer (3/22/15).
SCOUTING THE MOUNTAINEERS
The Mountaineers enter the Capital Classic 6-2 and are led by senior guard Bria Holmes who was just named to the Naismith Trophy Watch List. Holmes is averaging 18.8 ppg and is hitting on 60.4% of her shots. She is second on the team with 28 assists and is third with 5.3 rebounds per game. 6 foot 5 junior center Lanay Montgomery leads the Mountaineers with 9.3 rebounds per game and 29 blocks. WVU is outscoring its opponents by 21.8 points per game. The Mountaineers have wins over Delaware State (77-34), Coppin State (96-64), Grand Canyon (68-50), Yale (70-60), Morehead State (94-56) and Fairleigh Dickinson (91-42). The team's only two losses are at Gonzaga (62-57) and against USC in overtime (78-67).
WVU has won the past 10 meetings and 13 of 14. In 2014, Leah Scott was named the MVP for Marshall with 15 points, 9 rebounds and 5 steals.
WINNING AT HOME
Marshall is on a 10-game home winning streak against non-conference opponents. The last loss was Dec. 29, 2013 against Navy, 72-68. Wins are:
- Davis & Elkins Dec. 31, 2013 86-72
- Maryland Eastern-Shore Nov. 22, 2014 74-57
- Salem International Dec. 10, 2014 84-41
- Brescia Dec. 22, 2014 127-56
- Robert Morris Dec. 29, 2014 62-46
- Brescia Nov. 15, 2015 92-40
- Rhode Island Nov. 18, 2015 72-62
- NJIT Nov. 22, 2015 63-50
- Cornell Nov. 27, 2015 73-47
- Alabama A&M Dec. 5, 2015 81-45
SCORING IN QUARTERS
Marshall was held to its lowest point output in a quarter with 10 in the first against Alabama A&M, but the Herd have yet to be held to single digits in a quarter this season. The Herd has put up 20 or more points in a quarter 11 times out of 24 total played. Defensively, the Herd has allowed 20 or more points in a quarter four times all against Morehead State and held opponents to single digits six times.
LEADING IN CONFERENCE USA
Marshall is ranked in the top 5 in Conference USA in 20 of 21 statistical categories including ranked 1st overall in 9.
1st: Scoring Offense (80.8), Scoring Margin (+23.3), Field Goal Percentage (.451), Field Goal Percentage Defense (.349), Rebounding Offense (46.5), Rebounding Margin (+10.5), Assists per game (18.7), Assist-Turnover Ratio (1.2) and Defensive Rebounding per game (32.0).
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 come back to the Cam Henderson Center to host St. Francis (PA) Thursday, Dec. 17. Tipoff is scheduled for 12 p.m.
---HerdZone.com---
