Marshall University Athletics
Thundering Herd Plays Wednesday in Conference USA's Second Round
3/8/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Game Notes
Free live video stream via ASN
THE MATCHUP
Sixth-seeded Marshall (19-10, 9-9 Conference USA) will face the winner of 11th-seeded UTSA (10-18, 6-12) and 14th-seeded FIU (4-25, 2-16) at 8:30 p.m. ET/7:30 CT Wednesday evening. The Thundering Herd defeated UTSA 80-76 on Feb. 6 and FIU 65-58 on Jan. 9.
AMERICAN SPORTS NETWORK
ASN will be televising the first and second rounds, as well as the quarterfinals this year at the Conference USA Tournament. Check your local listings for availability in your area. However, all three rounds will be streamed live, and free of charge, at AmericanSportsNet.com.
HERD IN THE CONFERENCE USA TOURNAMENT
The Thundering Herd enters this week's league tournament as the six seed. Marshall has amassed a cumulative record of 6-10 in their previous 10 seasons but made the semifinals in its last appearance as the six seed (2007-08).
WINS APLENTY
The Thundering Herd has amassed 19 wins thus far in the 2015-16 season, the most for the program since totaling that many during the 2004-05 season. The last time Marshall got to 20 wins was the 1990-91 campaign.
RPI SUCCESS
As of March 6, Marshall's RPI stands at 134, according to WarrenNolan.com. As the wins have accumulated, as you might imagine, the RPI has improved as well over head coach Matt Daniel's four seasons.
2015-16: 134
2014-15: 167
2013-14: 272
2012-13: 259
SINGLE-SEASON MARKS
The Herd has made an assault on more than a few of the program's single-season top 10 records this season. They are:
3-Point Percentage (minimum 20 made): Logan Fraley, 3rd, .415 (22-for-53).
3-Pointers Made: Shayna Gore, 44, T-9th. She needs two more to pass AJ Johnson (2013-14) for eighth and five more to pass Natal Rosko (1994-95) and Amanda Eddinger (1993-94) for sixth).
Free Throws Made: Leah Scott, 123, T-9th. She needs eight more for seventh, passing Karen Pelphrey (1984-85 and 1985-86).
Points: Leah Scott, 481, 10th. She needs seven more to pass Tynikki Crook (2010-11) for ninth and 14 to pass her mark from last year for eighth.
ROAD WARRIORS
Marshall picked up road wins last Thursday at Louisiana Tech (54-52) and Southern Miss (63-53). The last time the program had back-to-back Conference USA road wins had been Jan. 17, 2010 at Houston (66-61) and Jan. 23, 2010 at Tulsa (57-49). Between those two games, Marshall lost the Capital Classic to West Virginia 74-42 on Jan. 20. The last time the program won back-to-back C-USA road games without interruption was the year before: February 20, 2009 at UAB (67-50) and February 22, 2009 at Memphis (70-61).
PORTER HITS THE GLASS
Taylor Porter has hit the glass hard in Marshall's last three games. She has amassed 20 rebounds (6.7 per game). In her first 25 games, she grabbed just 52 caroms per contest (2.1 per game).
ELITE IN THE LEAGUE
Porter and Kiana Evans were among the league leaders in Conference USA games this season. Porter was the conference's top free throw shooter (.923, 36-for-39) and was ninth in 3-point percentage (.377, 23-for-61). Evans made a tremendous turnaround with her perimeter shooting in league play, finishing second in C-USA at .419 (18-for-43). In November and December, she was 5-for-21 for .238.
RAMPING UP THE OFFENSE
Coach Matt Daniel's teams have increased their scoring, field goal percentage, free throw percentage, free throws made per game, assists per game and 3-pointers per game over the course of his four seasons as the team's head coach.
Scoring
2015-16: 71.5 points per game
2014-15: 66.1
2013-14: 63.3
2012-13: 55.4
Field Goal Percentage
2015-16: 43.1 percent
2014-15: 42.2
2013-14: 37.6
2012-13: 37.8
Free Throw Percentage
2015-16: 72.6 percent
2014-15: 66.2
2013-14: 64.3
2012-13: 65.9
Free Throws Made Per Game
2015-16: 14.5
2014-15: 11.3
2013-14: 13.4
2012-13: 9.3
Assists Per Game
2015-16: 13.6
2014-15: 11.3
2013-14: 11.4
2012-13: 10.0
3-Pointers Per Game
2015-16: 6.6
2014-15: 6.0
2013-14: 5.9
2012-13: 5.9
QUADS
The Thundering Herd has put four players in double figures seven times in their last nine games. In those contests, Leah Scott has averaged 16.1 points per game. She is followed by Norrisha Victrum at 10.1, Kiana Evans at 9.4, Talequia Hamilton at 9.3, Shayna Gore at 9.1 and Taylor Porter at 8.6.
AT (OR NEAR) THE TOP
Marshall is second in the league in free throw percentage (.726), field goal percentage (.431) and 3-pointers per game (6.6) and third in scoring offense (71.5), turnover margin (+2.10), assist-to-turnover ratio (+0.9) and defensive rebounds (26.3). In league games, Marshall was third in blocked shots (3.7).
NUMBERS TO KNOW
The Herd is outstanding when the following happens:
18-0 leading with five minutes left
10-0 holding opponents to 60 points or less
14-2 leading at half
11-2 when outrebounding opposition
17-4 when making more free throws
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 481 points this season for a career total of 1,314. She is the 19th player in team history to score 1,000. Scott currently ranks seventh and needs 13 to pass Sheila Johnson (1987-91) for sixth. She also ranks fifth all-time with 320 free throws made.
Senior Norrisha Victrum can also be found in a few places in the record book. Victrum has 377 assists and has passed Kim Lewis (1984-1988) for fifth place in the school's all-time records. Victrum is currently sixth in 3-point field goals made (113) and needs 22 points to become the 20th player to reach 1,000 for her career.
Junior Chelsey Romero has 30 blocks this season to give her a career total of 114. She is in fifth place all-time and is the fifth player in program history with 100 in a career. She needs two more rejections to pass former teammate Chukwuka Ezeigbo (2011-15) for fourth on the school's all-time list.
