Marshall University Athletics
@HerdWBB, Blazers Do Battle Saturday Afternoon
2/20/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
GAME 25: MARSHALL (14-10, 6-7 C-USA) VS. UAB (14-11, 8-6 C-USA)
Saturday, Feb. 21 | 1 p.m. ET
Huntington, W.Va. | Henderson Center (9,043)
| Live Video | Twitter | Game Notes
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. - Marshall women's basketball (14-10, 6-7) will host UAB (14-11, 8-6) for a 1 p.m. ET tip at Henderson Center on Saturday. The game will also serve as the program's annual Breast Cancer Awareness Day, an event where the Herd defeated Louisiana Tech 69-55 last season.
In addition to live tweets from @HerdWBB, live stats and video will be available through HerdZone.com.
SCOUTING THE BLAZERS
UAB (14-11, 8-6) is coming into Saturday's game having split its last four games. The Blazers are paced by Janae Smith's 17.8 points and 7.7 rebounds per game. Chelsee Black has a team-high 58 assists, while Smith has 36 blocks and 36 steals. Miranda Burroughs is far and away the top 3-point shooter on the team with 59 makes and a .413 percentage. Smith and Black are also strong at the free throw line, shooting a combined .850 (171-201).
HAVE YOU HERD?
Sharpshooter McKenzie Akers made her return versus Middle Tennessee after missing the last two and a half games with a concussion she suffered in the win over Rice. She made two of Marshall's three 3-pointers in Thursday's loss.
A HERD WIN WOULD...
Give Marshall its 15th win of the season and seventh league victory. Both totals are the best in Matt Daniel's two-plus years as head coach.
Snap a four-game losing streak to the Blazers
SPREADING THE WEALTH...
Five players have led Marshall in scoring through 24 games this season. They are Leah Scott, AJ Johnson, Norrisha Victrum, Chukwuka Ezeigbo and McKenzie Akers.
DEFENSIVE STANCE
The Herd is near the top of Conference USA in several defensive categories: field goal percentage defense (2nd, .372), 3-point percentage defense (2nd, .285), defensive rebounds (3rd, 27.2) and scoring defense (4th, 60.4).
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 111 career blocks, and needs 8 to reach Modupe Ishola's 119 from 2003-07. Romero has 78 at No. 7.
MARSHALL IS UNBEATEN WHEN...
Leading or tied at half (11-0)
Leading or tied with five minutes remaining (11-0)
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. 7 (98) and Victrum rounding out the group (86).
HOME SWEET HENDERSON CENTER
Since its inaugural season in 1981-82, the Herd is 276-167 (.623) at Cam Henderson Center. This season, the Herd is 7-3 in the friendly confines.
