Marshall University Athletics
Wednesday, December 9
Lexington, KY
7:00 PM
Marshall University
at
University of Kentucky
Photo by: Adam Gue
Women’s Basketball Travels to No. 9 Kentucky
12/8/2020 4:14:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Tipoff Wednesday at 7 p.m. and broadcast on SEC Network+
LEXINGTON, Ky. – The Marshall women's basketball team hits the road for the first time in the 2020-21 season with a trip down I-64 to take on No. 9 Kentucky Wildcats. Tipoff from Memorial Coliseum is set for Wednesday at 7 p.m.
The Thundering Herd is 1-0 while the Wildcats come in at 4-0.
With attendance limited to 15% of normal arena capacity, the majority of tickets have been sold as full-season packages for women's basketball and UK does not expect any general public ticket sales at this time. Fans are encouraged to check Ticketmaster.com for any ticket allotments that are returned and released closer to game days, as well as for verified resale tickets.
Game Details
Marshall Game Notes | Kentucky Game Notes
Broadcast: SEC Network +
Live Stats: SIDEARM
Series History: 20th all-time meeting. Kentucky leads 14-5. Last meeting – Nov. 26, 2017 #22 UK won 69-39.
Last Time Out: Dec. 6, 68-59 win over Radford
Marshall started the regular season with a win for the second year-in-a-row, 68-59 over visiting Radford. Sophomore Savannah Wheeler tied her career-high with 25 points to lead all scorers. Fellow sophomore Alexis Johnson had a career-day with 12 points and nine boards, just one rebound shy of her first career double-double. The Herd began the game sluggishly trailing by as much as seven with 3:36 to go in the first quarter. However, Marshall went on a tear beginning with Wheeler scoring five-straight points and the team going on an 11-5 run to end the period and trailed by one, 16-15.
The Herd took the lead in the second and went in at the half leading 34-30. Wheeler had 10 first half points and Johnson had eight. The third quarter was a back-and-forth battle with three ties and two lead changes. Senior Kristen Mayo scored with three seconds left and Marshall led by two, 49-47, entering the fourth. Radford took a quick lead at the beginning of the fourth. However, the Herd tied the game at 55-55 with 5:48 remaining, then regained the lead on a layup from junior Lorelei Roper. Marshall held the lead for the remainder of the contest.
Wheeler scored eight in the final frame with six coming from the free throw line. Redshirt sophomore Mahogany Matthews blocked the last shot of the day, her second rejection of the contest, in her first action since March 6, 2019.
Following the Herd's game at Kentucky, Marshall stays on the road with a date at St. Bonaventure on Sunday, Dec. 13 at 1 p.m. The Herd's next home contest is Dec. 17 against Morehead State as that will also be the final non-conference game of the 2020-21 season for Marshall. Conference USA action begins Jan. 1-2 at home against Louisiana Tech.
The Series
This will be the 20th all-time meeting between Marshall and Kentucky, dating all the way back to 1971. UK leads the series 14-5. The Herd's last win against the Wildcats came on Feb. 7, 1996 as the Herd took the game 72-66 at home. The last time these teams matched up came on Nov. 26, 2017 in Lexington. Kentucky was ranked No. 22 at the time and defeated Marshall 69-39. Current Herd senior Kristen Mayo was a freshman and earned the start in the game, scoring five points and grabbing three rebounds along with dishing out two assists.
Scouting the Wildcats
The 9th-ranked Wildcats are 4-0 with wins over Murray State (86-60), Belmont (70-50), Kansas State (60-49) and No. 13 Indiana (72-68). UK trailed at Kansas State 27-25 at the half before outscoring the home team 35-22 in the second half for the win. Another slow start versus Indiana put the Wildcats down 36-23 at the break. Kentucky then put up 49 points, with 28 coming in the fourth quarter while holding the Hoosiers to just 14 in the fourth.
Kyra Elzy is serving as the interim head coach after Matthew Mitchell retired on Nov. 11, and she has the team playing very well. Coach Elzy sports one of the best players in the country in 6-2 junior guard Rhyne Howard. Howard has been named to numerous preseason watch lists including most recently the John R. Wooden Award Women's Preseason Top 30. The junior led UK last season with 23.4 points per game, which ranked second in the nation, as well as leading the team with 6.5 rebounds per game and 62 steals. She has only played the last two games so far this season and after scoring just eight points at Kansas State, Howard put up 22 versus Indiana with 14 in the second half.
Senior Chasity Patterson currently leads UK with 16.0 per game and 14 steals. She opened the year with 30 points and eight thefts versus Murray State. The Wildcats have been winning the turnover battle by a plus-6.5 margin per game.
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!
The Thundering Herd is 1-0 while the Wildcats come in at 4-0.
With attendance limited to 15% of normal arena capacity, the majority of tickets have been sold as full-season packages for women's basketball and UK does not expect any general public ticket sales at this time. Fans are encouraged to check Ticketmaster.com for any ticket allotments that are returned and released closer to game days, as well as for verified resale tickets.
Game Details
Marshall Game Notes | Kentucky Game Notes
Broadcast: SEC Network +
Live Stats: SIDEARM
Series History: 20th all-time meeting. Kentucky leads 14-5. Last meeting – Nov. 26, 2017 #22 UK won 69-39.
Last Time Out: Dec. 6, 68-59 win over Radford
Marshall started the regular season with a win for the second year-in-a-row, 68-59 over visiting Radford. Sophomore Savannah Wheeler tied her career-high with 25 points to lead all scorers. Fellow sophomore Alexis Johnson had a career-day with 12 points and nine boards, just one rebound shy of her first career double-double. The Herd began the game sluggishly trailing by as much as seven with 3:36 to go in the first quarter. However, Marshall went on a tear beginning with Wheeler scoring five-straight points and the team going on an 11-5 run to end the period and trailed by one, 16-15.
The Herd took the lead in the second and went in at the half leading 34-30. Wheeler had 10 first half points and Johnson had eight. The third quarter was a back-and-forth battle with three ties and two lead changes. Senior Kristen Mayo scored with three seconds left and Marshall led by two, 49-47, entering the fourth. Radford took a quick lead at the beginning of the fourth. However, the Herd tied the game at 55-55 with 5:48 remaining, then regained the lead on a layup from junior Lorelei Roper. Marshall held the lead for the remainder of the contest.
Wheeler scored eight in the final frame with six coming from the free throw line. Redshirt sophomore Mahogany Matthews blocked the last shot of the day, her second rejection of the contest, in her first action since March 6, 2019.
Following the Herd's game at Kentucky, Marshall stays on the road with a date at St. Bonaventure on Sunday, Dec. 13 at 1 p.m. The Herd's next home contest is Dec. 17 against Morehead State as that will also be the final non-conference game of the 2020-21 season for Marshall. Conference USA action begins Jan. 1-2 at home against Louisiana Tech.
The Series
This will be the 20th all-time meeting between Marshall and Kentucky, dating all the way back to 1971. UK leads the series 14-5. The Herd's last win against the Wildcats came on Feb. 7, 1996 as the Herd took the game 72-66 at home. The last time these teams matched up came on Nov. 26, 2017 in Lexington. Kentucky was ranked No. 22 at the time and defeated Marshall 69-39. Current Herd senior Kristen Mayo was a freshman and earned the start in the game, scoring five points and grabbing three rebounds along with dishing out two assists.
Scouting the Wildcats
The 9th-ranked Wildcats are 4-0 with wins over Murray State (86-60), Belmont (70-50), Kansas State (60-49) and No. 13 Indiana (72-68). UK trailed at Kansas State 27-25 at the half before outscoring the home team 35-22 in the second half for the win. Another slow start versus Indiana put the Wildcats down 36-23 at the break. Kentucky then put up 49 points, with 28 coming in the fourth quarter while holding the Hoosiers to just 14 in the fourth.
Kyra Elzy is serving as the interim head coach after Matthew Mitchell retired on Nov. 11, and she has the team playing very well. Coach Elzy sports one of the best players in the country in 6-2 junior guard Rhyne Howard. Howard has been named to numerous preseason watch lists including most recently the John R. Wooden Award Women's Preseason Top 30. The junior led UK last season with 23.4 points per game, which ranked second in the nation, as well as leading the team with 6.5 rebounds per game and 62 steals. She has only played the last two games so far this season and after scoring just eight points at Kansas State, Howard put up 22 versus Indiana with 14 in the second half.
Senior Chasity Patterson currently leads UK with 16.0 per game and 14 steals. She opened the year with 30 points and eight thefts versus Murray State. The Wildcats have been winning the turnover battle by a plus-6.5 margin per game.
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!
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