Marshall University Athletics
@HerdWBB Heads South For Date with Mercer
3/21/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
GAME 32: MARSHALL (17-14, 8-10 C-USA) at Mercer (19-14, 9-5 Southern Conference)
Sunday, March 22, 2015 | 3 p.m. ET
Macon, Ga. | Hawkins Arena (3,500)
Live Stats|Live Video |Twitter | Game Notes
MACON, Ga. - Marshall women's basketball (17-14) will play only its third postseason game as an NCAA program when it faces the Mercer Bears (19-14) with a 3 p.m. ET tip at Hawkins Arena in the second round of the Women's Basketball Invitational on Sunday.
In addition to live tweets from @HerdWBB, live stats will be available through HerdZone.com and live video can be seen here: http://www.espn3.com.
SCOUTING THE BEARS
Mercer (19-14) is coming into Sunday's game having beaten Troy 83-68 in the first round of the WBI for its third win in its last four games. Mercer is led by Precious Bridges' 20.1 points per game, 123 assists and 45 steals. Teanna Robinson is the team's top rebounder at 8.3 per game and has an eye-opening 81 blocked shots and .672 field goal percentage (82-122). Briana Williams leads the Bears with 24 3-pointers.
HAVE YOU HERD?
Sunday's game at Mercer will be only Marshall's third postseason game as an NCAA program. The program fell 69-49 at Colorado in the first round of the 1997 NCAA Tournament before Thursday's 81-79 win at Northern Kentucky ... Sharpshooter AJ Johnson has 72 3-pointers on the season, passing Shay Weaver for the single-season school record, previously set during the 2012-13 season ... Also, Marshall's current scoring clip of 65.9 points per game is on pace to be the program's best mark in Conference USA since that same 2007-08 season (68.0).
STILL GOING
Sunday's game at Mercer will be the Herd's 32nd of the season, the most for the program since the 2008-09 season (32, 17-15). However, when you look at the calendar, the game will be the latest the program has played in any season since Marshall played through March 25 in the National Invitational Women's Tournament at the conclusion of the 1971-72 season. The team went 13-4 that season.
BIG NUMBERS
The Herd had some big (and historic) numbers in its win over NKU on Thursday when it comes to marks against D1 competition. The 81 points was a season-high, while the 12 3-pointers was the most since MU made that many against Southern Miss on Feb. 28, 2013. The .571 3-point percentage was the best since MU equaled that mark at Evansville on Dec. 3, 2011, while the .571 field goal percentage was the best since shooting .630 at Morehead State on Nov. 23, 2011. Finally, the 32 field goals were the most since the Herd made 36 at Cleveland State on Dec. 2, 2009. Individually, Leah Scott's 26 points were the most since Tynikki Crook had 32 against George Washington on Dec. 2, 2010.
CAREER DAYS
Marshall's Leah Scott, McKenzie Akers and Enjonae Chambers all enjoyed career days when the Herd defeated Northern Kentucky 81-79 on Thursday. Scott registered career-highs in points (26), field goals (11) and assists (8). Akers tied a career-high with 18 points and her six 3-pointers was a career-best. Finally, Chambers' 13 points and five field goals were top marks as well.
A HERD WIN WOULD...
Give Marshall its 18th win of the season, the highest total in Matt Daniel's two-plus years as head coach.
Give Marshall 10 non-conference wins in a season for the first time since 2007-08
Give Marshall its third win in the all-time series between the two schools
SPREADING THE WEALTH...
Five players have led Marshall in scoring through 31 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 field goal percentage defense (3rd, .391) and defensive rebounds (3rd, 27.0).
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 115 career blocks, and needs four to reach Modupe Ishola's 119 from 2003-07. Romero has 84 at No. 7.
CLOSERS
Leading or tied with five minutes remaining (13-0)
Leading or tied at half (13-3)
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. 5 (117) and Victrum rounding out the group (86). Meanwhile, McKenzie Akers sits just outside the top 10 with 84 makes.
HOME SWEET HENDERSON CENTER
Since its inaugural season in 1981-82, the Herd is 277-169 (.621) at Cam Henderson Center. This season, the Herd is 8-5 in the friendly confines.
HIGH-SCORING AFFAIRS
Marshall's 127-56 rout of Brescia on Dec. 22 set a single-game school record, as well as a C-USA record. The Herd is 8-0 under coach Matt Daniel when tallying 80 points or more.
