Marshall University Athletics
Saturday, November 9
Huntington, W.Va.
1:00 PM
Marshall University
2-0
75
vs
69
Norfolk State
0-2
1
2
3
4
F
Norfolk State
12
18
20
19
69
Marshall
29
18
14
14
75
Photo by: Adam Gue
Women’s Basketball Holds off Spartans
11/9/2019 4:30:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Wheeler nets game-high 19 points
Box Score (PDF)
Coach Kemper Postgame Press Conference
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – The Marshall women's basketball team begins the season 2-0 after holding off a furious comeback from the Norfolk State Spartans, 75-69, Saturday in the Cam Henderson Center. Freshman Savannah Wheeler scored a game-high 19 points in the win.
"I knew this was going to be a challenging game," Herd head coach Tony Kemper said. "Their first game was an aberration so I knew they were going to be good. They are used to winning. Coach Vickers does a great job on the defensive end. We started off great. That first half was pretty darn good.
"I think we showed the top end of our team and that we will be pretty exciting to watch. At the same time, I hope we learned that if we get out of structure and don't do the little things structurally, then that makes things a lot easier on the other team. I think we will learn from this and it is always good to learn lessons from a win."
Wheeler topped her debut performance by one point as she shot 7-of-9 from the floor and 5-of-7 from downtown. Her last two three-pointers late in the fourth quarter were crucial to the victory. Junior Kristen Mayo scored 13 points and dished out seven assists. Senior Ashley Saintigene played well in the interior with 12 points on 6-of-9 shooting, grabbed eight boards and recorded four blocks. Saintigene already has seven blocks this season and now has 88 in her career. She moved ahead of Lisa Pruner (1980-84) for eighth all-time in program history.
Junior Taylor Pearson was the fourth player to score in double-figures for the Herd with 11. Pearson also added seven rebounds. Redshirt senior Khadaijia Brooks was close to a double-double with eight points and nine boards. Brooks also tied her career-high with three blocks.
As a team, Marshall shot 66.7 percent (10-of-15) from the floor in the first quarter and also held Norfolk State to just 33.3 percent (5-of-15) to lead 29-12 at the end of the frame. The Herd scored the first eight points of the game before the Spartans got on the board. It looked as if the Marshall defense was going to hold the Spartans to single digits until a three from La'Deja James sank right as the clock expired.
The Herd went a little cold in the second quarter hitting just 6-of-21 (28.6 percent), however four of the six made shots were from downtown. Mayo buried three three-pointer in a two minute and seven second span to begin the quarter. Wheeler hit the last three of the period for the Herd with 1:11 left on the clock. The teams tied at 18-18 in the quarter and Marshall went in at the break leading by 17, 47-30.
The beginning of the third quarter started off well for the Herd with an 8-3 run over the first 2:30 minutes. The Spartans then began a comeback while trailing by 22 points, 55-33. Norfolk State rolled with an 11-0 run before Marshall scored a point on a free throw from Brooks. The Spartans outscored Marshall 20-14 in the third and trailed by nine, 61-50, going into the fourth.
The fourth quarter saw Norfolk State continue to rally and even taking the lead, 64-63, with 5:33 remaining. However, Marshall regained its composure and outscored the Spartans 12-5 over the final 4:33. The Herd retook the lead on a layup from sophomore Kia Sivils. Back-to-back jumpers from Wheeler and Brooks built the lead back out to five, 69-64.
After a made free throw by Norfolk State, Sivils saved a possession for the Herd off a missed jumper from Brooks. Sivils darted into the paint and tapped the ball away from three yellow jerseys out to Wheeler in the corner who then buried a three to give Marshall a seven-point lead with 1:53 to go. Wheeler hit another three-pointer, her fifth of the day, with 1:37 to go that put the Herd up by 10. Marshall held on in the final moments for the win.
The Herd is back in action on Wednesday, Nov. 13 at 7 p.m., on the road against the Ohio Bobcats.
For all of the latest information on the Marshall women's basketball team, follow the Herd on Twitter @HerdWBB, Facebook at Marshall University Basketball and on www.herdzone.com.
To follow all Thundering Herd sports and get live stats, schedules, and free live audio, download the Marshall Athletics App for iOS or Android!
Coach Kemper Postgame Press Conference
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – The Marshall women's basketball team begins the season 2-0 after holding off a furious comeback from the Norfolk State Spartans, 75-69, Saturday in the Cam Henderson Center. Freshman Savannah Wheeler scored a game-high 19 points in the win.
"I knew this was going to be a challenging game," Herd head coach Tony Kemper said. "Their first game was an aberration so I knew they were going to be good. They are used to winning. Coach Vickers does a great job on the defensive end. We started off great. That first half was pretty darn good.
"I think we showed the top end of our team and that we will be pretty exciting to watch. At the same time, I hope we learned that if we get out of structure and don't do the little things structurally, then that makes things a lot easier on the other team. I think we will learn from this and it is always good to learn lessons from a win."
Wheeler topped her debut performance by one point as she shot 7-of-9 from the floor and 5-of-7 from downtown. Her last two three-pointers late in the fourth quarter were crucial to the victory. Junior Kristen Mayo scored 13 points and dished out seven assists. Senior Ashley Saintigene played well in the interior with 12 points on 6-of-9 shooting, grabbed eight boards and recorded four blocks. Saintigene already has seven blocks this season and now has 88 in her career. She moved ahead of Lisa Pruner (1980-84) for eighth all-time in program history.
Junior Taylor Pearson was the fourth player to score in double-figures for the Herd with 11. Pearson also added seven rebounds. Redshirt senior Khadaijia Brooks was close to a double-double with eight points and nine boards. Brooks also tied her career-high with three blocks.
As a team, Marshall shot 66.7 percent (10-of-15) from the floor in the first quarter and also held Norfolk State to just 33.3 percent (5-of-15) to lead 29-12 at the end of the frame. The Herd scored the first eight points of the game before the Spartans got on the board. It looked as if the Marshall defense was going to hold the Spartans to single digits until a three from La'Deja James sank right as the clock expired.
The Herd went a little cold in the second quarter hitting just 6-of-21 (28.6 percent), however four of the six made shots were from downtown. Mayo buried three three-pointer in a two minute and seven second span to begin the quarter. Wheeler hit the last three of the period for the Herd with 1:11 left on the clock. The teams tied at 18-18 in the quarter and Marshall went in at the break leading by 17, 47-30.
The beginning of the third quarter started off well for the Herd with an 8-3 run over the first 2:30 minutes. The Spartans then began a comeback while trailing by 22 points, 55-33. Norfolk State rolled with an 11-0 run before Marshall scored a point on a free throw from Brooks. The Spartans outscored Marshall 20-14 in the third and trailed by nine, 61-50, going into the fourth.
The fourth quarter saw Norfolk State continue to rally and even taking the lead, 64-63, with 5:33 remaining. However, Marshall regained its composure and outscored the Spartans 12-5 over the final 4:33. The Herd retook the lead on a layup from sophomore Kia Sivils. Back-to-back jumpers from Wheeler and Brooks built the lead back out to five, 69-64.
After a made free throw by Norfolk State, Sivils saved a possession for the Herd off a missed jumper from Brooks. Sivils darted into the paint and tapped the ball away from three yellow jerseys out to Wheeler in the corner who then buried a three to give Marshall a seven-point lead with 1:53 to go. Wheeler hit another three-pointer, her fifth of the day, with 1:37 to go that put the Herd up by 10. Marshall held on in the final moments for the win.
The Herd is back in action on Wednesday, Nov. 13 at 7 p.m., on the road against the Ohio Bobcats.
For all of the latest information on the Marshall women's basketball team, follow the Herd on Twitter @HerdWBB, Facebook at Marshall University Basketball and on www.herdzone.com.
To follow all Thundering Herd sports and get live stats, schedules, and free live audio, download the Marshall Athletics App for iOS or Android!
---HerdZone.com---
Team Stats
NSUW
MAR
FG%
.353
.429
3FG%
.429
.423
FT%
.632
.667
RB
41
46
TO
13
17
STL
7
6
Game Leaders
Pts
19
FGM
7
3FGM
5
FTM
0
Pts
13
FGM
5
3FGM
3
FTM
0
Pts
12
FGM
6
3FGM
0
FTM
0
Pts
11
FGM
4
3FGM
2
FTM
1
Players Mentioned
G/F
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's BasketballF
/ Women's BasketballF
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's BasketballG
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