Marshall University Athletics
Blazers Hit Huntington for Saturday Afternoon Showdown
1/13/2017 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Game Notes
C-USA TV
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. - The Marshall women's basketball team (10-6 overall, 2-3 Conference USA) faces UAB (8-7, 1-3) Saturday at 1 p.m. in the Cam Henderson Center.
SCOUTING UAB
The Blazers (8-7 overall, 1-3 Conference USA) come to Huntington off a 60-48 loss at WKU on Thursday. Rachael Childress leads the team in scoring (11.1), 3-pointers made (40) and free throw percentage (15-for-21, .714). Keonna Farmer is the team's leading rebounder (7.9) and has 16 blocked shots. The leader in assists is Miyah Barnes (49) and Deanna Kuzmanic paces the team in steals (23) and 3-point percentage (31-for-69, .449-1st in C-USA). Kara Rawls (32-for-54) has a team-high .593 field goal percentage. The Blazers are the league's most accurate long-range shooting team, connecting on 101 of 268 attempts (.377), but, ironically enough, are the conference's worst free throw shooting team (167-for-275, .607).
MARSHALL IN CONFERENCE USA
The Thundering Herd leads the league in:
3-Point Field Goal Percentage Defense: .272
Rebounding Offense: 43.2
Rebounding Margin: +6.0
Defensive Rebounds: 28.6
Defensive Rebounding Percentage: .684
CAREER-HIGHS
Marshall's Shayna Gore had a career-high 11 field goals made and 39 minutes in the 72-63 loss to Middle Tennessee.
HOME SWEET HOME
The Thundering Herd is 8-1 at home this season, where it averages 79.4 points, .463 shooting from the field (261-for-564) and 74-for-214 (.346) from downtown. It also outrebounds the opposition 46.6 to 34.4 and has a staggering 56-13 edge in blocked shots. In fact, Marshall has won 19 consecutive non-conference games in the Cam Henderson Center. Its last loss was a 72-68 setback against Navy on Dec. 29, 2013.
ON PACE
This year's Thundering Herd is on pace to set its best marks under head coach Matt Daniel. Currently, they are:
74.4 points per game (70.5 in 2015-16)
.429 FG% (.426 in 2015-16)
.367 FG% defense (.380 in 2014-15)
7.9 3-pointers per game (6.6 in 2015-16)
.317 3FG% (.315 in 2014-15)
.272 3FG% defense (.294 in 2014-15)
43.2 rebounds (38.4 in 2013-14)
14.7 offensive rebounds (12.7 in 2013-14)
5.8 blocks (4.4 in 2013-14)
1.9 blocks allowed (2.2 in 2012-13)
12.5 assists allowed (13.2 in 2014-15)
STREAKING
The Thundering Herd has had more (or as many) blocks than the opposition in eight-straight games.
ALL FOUR
Marshall has not been outscored in any quarter this season. The totals are below:
First quarter: 317-239
Second quarter: 270-245
Third quarter: 309-259
Fourth quarter: 294-261
IRONWOMAN
Hamilton has been extremely durable and dependable during her season and a half with the program. Not only has she played in all 49 of Marshall's games during that period, but she has started all of them as well.
SECOND-CHANCE SUCCESS
Much has been made of Marshall's excellent defensive rebounding numbers, but the program has gotten it done on the offensive end as well, ranking third in Conference USA with 14.7 per game. That total has helped the Thundering Herd tally more (or as many) second chance points than the opposition in seven of its last nine games.
AKERS GOES LONG
Marshall junior McKenzie Akers is seventh in the school's record book with 113 3-pointers and is now hunting down former teammate Norrisha Victrum (115, 2013-16) for sixth.
STINGY DEFENSE
The Thundering Herd leads the league in 3-point field goal percentage defense (.272), defensive rebounds (28.6) and defensive rebounding percentage (.684). In Marshall's 10 wins, it has yielded just a .317 shooting percentage (192-for-606) and .230 (51-for-222) from 3-point range and hasn't allowed more than 67 points (Florida A&M). In fact, dating back to last season, Marshall has won 17 straight games when allowing 68 points or less (L at Middle Tennessee, 65-54, 1/28/16).
FRESHMAN INSIDE FORCE
Freshman forward Ashley Saintigene has been a force around the paint, offensively and defensively. Saintigene has recorded a block in all but two games this season (Maine-Fort Kent, at Charlotte) and leads Conference USA with 2.3 per contest, while ranking second in offensive rebounds (4.1). She is also second on the team in rebounding at 7.4 per game. The Lauderdale Lakes, Fla., native was named Conference USA Freshman of the Week Dec. 12, Dec. 23 and Jan. 3.
KB WORKING THE GLASS
Sophomore forward Khadaijia Brooks has been working the interior for Marshall in 2016-17. Brooks is the team's leading rebounder with 7.6 caroms per game. She has recorded at least five boards in all but one contest (Longwood) and grabbed a career-high 12 against Maine-Fort Kent, when she also posted a career-high 22 points. She recorded back-to-back double-doubles at Charlotte (12 points, 10 rebounds) and versus Middle Tennessee (11 points, 10 rebounds).
BLOCK PARTY
The Herd is second in C-USA with 5.8 blocks per game this season and has more blocks than the opposition in all but one game (at North Carolina). Marshall recorded 10 blocks in the season debut at Illinois and followed that with 11 swats versus FIU on Dec. 30. Against the Fighting Illini, redshirt-senior Talequia Hamilton led Marshall with a career-high five rejections. Freshman Ashley Saintigene had three blocks in her Herd debut (all coming in the second quarter).
