Thundering Herd Heads South to face Golden Eagles

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – The Marshall women's basketball team (8-12 overall, 3-6 Conference USA) will head to Southern Miss (9-11, 3-6) on Thursday. Tip time at Reed Green Coliseum is 7 p.m. ET/6 p.m. CT.

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Game Notes
Series History: 25th all-time meeting – Southern Miss leads 16-8
Last Meeting: January 26, 2019 in Huntington – Southern Miss won 62-54

Scouting the Golden Eagles
Southern Miss comes into Thursday's game in the midst of a five-game losing streak following a 63-59 road defeat at the hands of Charlotte on Saturday. The Golden Eagles get 16.8 points per game from preseason all-league selection Shonte Hailes, while Kelsey Jones leads the way in rebounds (6.0) and Daishai Almond's 4.3 assists per game are a team-high. Alarie Mayze (2.1) paces USM in steals and Amber Landing rejects 1.6 shots per contest.

Southern Miss was picked eighth in the league's preseason poll, while Marshall was tabbed 11th.

The Golden Eagles lead the league in steals per game at 10.3, but are last in 3-pointers per game at 3.8.

Last Time Out: Feb. 1 vs. Florida Atlantic (W, 85-75)
Marshall's Women's Basketball team tied a season-high with 13 3-pointers as the Thundering Herd defeated visiting Florida Atlantic 85-75 Saturday afternoon in the Cam Henderson Center.

The Thundering Herd improved to 8-12 overall and 3-6 in Conference USA, while the Owls fell to 9-12 and 3-7 in the league.

The trio of Savannah Wheeler (career-high 25 points), Kristen Mayo (20) and Taylor Pearson (tied a career-high with 19) combined for 64 points, while Wheeler and Mayo both had four 3-pointers and four assists, apiece. Princess Clemons led a balanced rebounding effort with six.

The Owls had four players in double figures, led by Lotta Vehka-Aho's 17 points. Astou Gaye made four first-quarter triples in a three-minute, 16 second span and finished with 16 points. Juliette Gauthier collected her fifth double-double of the season with 12 points and 11 boards and Crystal Primm contributed 11 points. Glenisha Harkless led the team with five assists and Tanyia Gordon had nine points, four rebounds and four steals in just nine minutes off the bench.

Florida Atlantic won the rebounding battle, 43-34.

The Thundering Herd used a big second-quarter scoring advantage (26-10) to grab a 13-point lead (43-30) at the half. The lead grew to as many as 22 (71-49) on a triple by Pearson with 8:58 left in the game. The Owls made a run down the stretch but the Herd kept the visitors at bay to emerge with the win.

"It was good to win," said Marshall head coach Tony Kemper. "We definitely had our backs against the wall, based on what went on Thursday night (loss to FIU). We played as well as we have all year, definitely for three quarters. Decisions, we struggled down the stretch, but it is very correctable. We got in the double bonus way too early, but I thought we played very, very well on both ends of the floor for the first three quarters of that game. Honestly, that is way closer to what I thought the team would play like on offense all year."

20+
When Wheeler and Mayo both got to the 20-point plateau Saturday, it marked the first time since last season's regular-season-finale romp over FIU (3/7/19) that Marshall had two players secure that achievement. In that game, Taylor Porter connected on a school-record 10 3-pointers for 30 points and Shayna Gore added 29.

Making Them Count
Marshall has had a higher free throw percentage than the opposition in its last eight games. That's nothing new for the Thundering Herd. Last season, Marshall had a 13-game streak of free throw percentage equal to, or better, than its opponents (January 19 to March 13). In these last eight games, the Herd has connected on 74.8 percent (116-for-155) compared to 59.4 percent (101-for-170) for its opponents. Continuing the streak Thursday will be a tall order as the Golden Eagles currently sit second in league games in said category (75.2 percent).

Pearson's Resurgence
Marshall's Taylor Pearson has averaged 14.7 points over her last six games. That figure is up from her 4.7 per game clip over the previous six games.

Season/Career-Highs
In the 85-75 win over Florida Atlantic, Wheeler recorded season/career-highs in points (25), field goals (nine) and minutes (36). Additionally, Lorelei Roper played a career-best 28 minutes.

Wheeler Attacks
Since entering the starting lineup at North Texas on January 4, Savannah Wheeler has gotten to the free throw line 54 times in those last eight games (6.8 per game), making 47 for 87 percent. In her previous 12 games, she got to the charity stripe just 38 times (3.2 per contest).

Leading and Leading Late
Marshall is 8-1 this season when leading at the half and 7-1 when leading with five minutes left in regulation. Since the beginning of last season, the Thundering Herd is 21-6 when leading at the break and 21-3 when leading at the five-minute mark.

Hitting the Glass, Controlling the Paint
The Thundering Herd is 14-5 since the start of last season when it outrebounds the opposition and 16-4 when it scores more in the paint.

Block Party
Senior Ashley Saintigene has returned to the Herd lineup with a vengeance this season on the defensive side. The senior has swatted 45 shots in 16 games to start the year. She has had two or more in 14 contests. Her season-high thus far is five in a win over Coppin State (11/19). Saintigene is currently 16th in the NCAA in blocks per game (2.81). As a team, Marshall is 24th in the country in blocks per game (4.9).

The Lauderdale Lakes, Fla., native is fourth all-time in program history in blocked shots with 126 and her 45 this season puts her sixth in Marshall's single-season records. She became the seventh player to hit the century mark with her third and final block at Evansville. Saintigene had an excellent start to her career with 42 blocks (1.45 per game) in her freshman season, seventh-most in Marshall history. She tallied just 22 her sophomore season as she only played in 12 games (1.83 per game) after suffering an injury. Saintigene came back to the Herd briefly in 2018-19 playing in just nine games before re-aggravating the injury, but still came away with 17 more swats (1.89 per game). The Herd record for most in a season is 117 by Sharon Deal in 1988-89. Deal averaged 4.2 per game which is still a Southern Conference record. Deal is also Marshall's all-time leader with 188 in a career that spanned just two seasons (1987-89).

Marshall's Single-Season Blocks Leaders
1. 117 - Sharon Deal - 1988-89
2. 71 - Sharon Deal - 1987-88
3. 54 - Chelsey Romero - 2013-14
    54 - Talequia Hamilton - 2016-17
5. 49 - Tynikki Crook - 2008-09
6. 45 - Ashley Saintigene - 2019-20
7. 43 - Talequia Hamilton - 2017-18
8. 42 - Ashley Saintigene - 2016-17
9. 40 - Modupe Ishola - 2006-07
    40 - Tynikki Crook - 2009-10
    40 - Leandra King - 2012-13
    40 - Chukwuka Ezeigbo - 2013-14

Marshall's Career Blocks Leaders
1. 188 - Sharon Deal (1987-89)
2. 153 - Tynikki Crook (2007-11)
3. 135 - Talequia Hamilton (2015-18)
4. 126 - Ashley Saintigene (2016-Pres.)
5. 119 - Modupe Ishola (2003-07)
    119 - Chelsey Romero (2013-16)
7. 115 - Chukwuka Ezeigbo (2011-15)
8. 91 - Chris McClurkin (1984-88)
9. 87 - Lisa Pruner (1980-84)
10. 71 - Tammy Simms (1986-87)
**Khadaijia Brooks currently has 69.**

Marshall's Career Field Goal Percentage Leaders (min. 200 attempts)
1. Modupe Ishola (57.4, 448-781), 2003-07
2. Chukwuka Eziegbo (55.4, 357-644), 2011-15
3. Kim Shepherd (52.2, 190-364), 1983-1985
4. Talequia Hamilton (50.9, 416-818), 2015-18
5. Chris McClurkin (50.8, 291-573), 1984-88
6. Tammy Simms (50.7, 292-576), 1986-88
7. Karen Pelphrey (50.5, 1175-2328), 1982-86
8. Ashley Saintigene (50.2, 160-319), 2016-Pres.
9. Kristina Behnfeldt (49.5, 664-1341), 1995-99
10. Jenette Reed (49.2, 126-256), 1989-93

Marshall's Career Free Throw Percentage Leaders (min. 100 attempts)
1. Taylor Porter (83.7, 144-172), 2015-19
2. Kristina Behnfeldt (82.0, 728-888), 1995-99
3. Shayna Gore (81.2, 336-411), 2015-19
4. Jenny Leavitt (80.7, 205-254), 1985-89
5. Lee Ann Parsley (79.5, 263-331), 1986-90
6. Reshundra Smiley (79.4, 85-107), 2004-06
7. Karen Pelphrey (78.4, 396-505), 1982-86
8. Kristen Mayo (78.3, 108-138), 2017-Pres.
9. Kim Lewis (77.8, 161-207), 1984-88
10. Catie Knable (76.1, 239-314), 2000-04

Ranked in the NCAA
Marshall is ranked in the top 100 in the NCAA in several categories.

24th in blocks per game - 4.9
35th in field goal percentage defense - 36.0%
41st in total blocks - 97
45th in fewest turnovers - 290 (leads C-USA)
51st in 3-point field goals per game - 7.7
72nd in rebounds per game - 40.4
74th in 3-point field goals made - 153
79th in fewest turnovers per game - 14.5
Ashley Saintigene is 16th in blocks per game (2.81)
Ashley Saintigene is 28th in total blocks (45)
Savannah Wheeler is 32nd in free throw percentage (84.8)
Savannah Wheeler is 69th in free throws made (78)

Notable Active Herd Streaks: (last game without stat in parentheses)
Taylor Pearson 53-straight games with a rebound (2/17/18 at WKU)
Khadaijia Brooks 44-straight games with a point (12/4/18 at Wisconsin)
Taylor Pearson 42-straight games with a point (12/4/18 at Wisconsin)
Kristen Mayo 41-straight games with a point (12/18/18 at Clemson)
Khadaijia Brooks 35-straight starts (1/17/19 at FAU)

A Great Start
Freshman Savannah Wheeler got off to a great beginning to her Marshall career scoring 18 points in her collegiate debut against Kentucky Christian, then adding 19 more versus Norfolk State. Wheeler was named Conference USA Freshman of the Week after scoring 37 combined points on 13-of-18 (72.2 percent) shooting from the field and 7-of-10 (70 percent) from three. She also tallied four steals against KCU. She has scored 272 points for the season, averaging 13.6 per game. She got the first start of her career at North Texas (1/4) and responded by scoring 17 points. For the season, she is averaging 28.4 minutes per contest.

Getting Offensive
Marshall's 18 offensive rebounds against FIU were the most for the program in a league game since grabbing 19 in a 72-54 loss to Louisiana Tech on February 4, 2017.

Defensive Struggle
The 98 combined points between Charlotte and Marshall on January 16 were the fewest in a Thundering Herd game since February 7, 2015 when North Texas edged Marshall 45-42 in Denton.

Perfection
Marshall went a perfect 13-for-13 at the free throw line at Old Dominion on January 18. The last time the Thundering Herd made more in a game without a miss was February 6, 2016 when it went 18-for-18 in an 80-76 win at UTSA.

Up Next
Marshall hits the road for a 3 p.m. ET/2 p.m. CT tilt at Louisiana Tech (10-10, 2-7).

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.

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Thundering Herd Heads South to face Golden Eagles

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Players Mentioned

Khadaijia Brooks

Princess Clemons

Shayna Gore

Kristen Mayo

Taylor Pearson

Taylor Porter

Lorelei Roper

Ashley Saintigene

Savannah Wheeler

Marshall University Athletics