Marshall University Athletics
Marshall University
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UTEP
Thundering Herd Holds Off Miners for 66-64 Win
2/15/2018 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Final Stats 
Postgame Press Conference
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. - Talequia Hamilton and Shayna Gore combined for 42 of Marshall's 66 points as the host Thundering Herd women's basketball team held off UTEP for a 66-64 victory.
The Thundering Herd improved to 8-17 overall and 2-10 in Conference USA with the win, while the Miners dropped to 14-10 and 5-6 in the league.
Hamilton scored 22 points on 8-for-16 shooting to go with a team-high seven rebounds and Gore chipped in 20 points, six steals and four assists. Mychelle Johnson had five assists off the bench as well.
UTEP had four players in double figures, led by Katarina Zec's 20 points and nine rebounds. Najala Howell also had 15 points, while Tamara Seda finished with 12 and Jordan Alexander posted 11. Faith Cook registered three assists.
Assist-to-turnover ratio proved to be a significant stat, as the Thundering Herd finished 16-11 compared to UTEP's 8-19 effort. Marshall also more than doubled up the Miners in steals, 13-6.
Those numbers offset UTEP's 37-24 edge on the glass.
Marshall took a three-point lead (28-25) into the half, holding the Miners without a field goal for the final five minutes, 14 seconds of the second quarter.
The Thundering Herd led by as many as seven in the third quarter, but found itself in a one-possession game in the final minute of the game.
Marshall led 63-61 but UTEP rebounded a Thundering Herd miss with 47 seconds left. On the ensuing possession, Howell drove into the lane but Marshall's Kristen Mayo forced her to take an off-balance jumper, which Hamilton rebounded. Gore then made two free throws and Mayo made one of two at the line to put the game out of reach.
"That's a really good win," said Marshall head coach Tony Kemper. "I'm very proud of our whole team and everyone involved. I've been saying that we've been playing better and we finally got over the hump. I thought our defense early in the game was really, really good and caused them to get out of what they wanted to do."
Gore, who is already the school's all-time leader in 3-pointers made (199), now has 1,364 points, passing Marshall Athletics Hall of Famer (and current HOF committee member) Tammy Wiggins (1,360; 1983-87) for sixth on the school's all-time scoring list. Next up is former teammate Leah Scott (1,371; 2013-16), who sits in fifth.
The Thundering Herd will be back in action Saturday at Western Kentucky for a 3 p.m. ET/2 p.m. CT.
