Marshall University Athletics
Wheeler Named Conference USA Player of the Week
12/27/2021 3:23:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Sophomore guard scored career-high 40 points versus Oakland
IRVING, Texas – Marshall women's basketball sophomore guard Savannah Wheeler was named Conference USA Player of the Week, the league office announced Monday. It is Wheeler's first weekly award of the season.
The Catlettsburg, Ky., native went off for a career-high 40 points against the Oakland Golden Grizzlies in the Herd's final non-conference contest of the season in the Las Vegas Holiday Hoops Classic. It was the first 40-point game by a Marshall player since MU Athletics Hall of Famer Kristina Behnfeldt scored 40 against Ohio back on Feb. 10, 1999.
Wheeler lit up the scoreboard on 14-of-18 shooting from the field. Her 14 made field goals bested her old mark of nine. She shot 2-of-4 from three-point range and was 10-of-12 from the line as the 5-6 guard drew seven fouls.
Wheeler added team-highs of five assists and four steals to go along with four boards and just one turnover in 35 minutes of action. She also surpassed 900 career points (907) in the win. Wheeler scored in double-figures for the 12th-straight game and the 48th time in 58 career games. It was her second game this season with 30 or more points – the other coming at Michigan State (30) – and the third time in her career. Wheeler surpassed her old career-high of 35 points set against Old Dominion in 2021.
In the game against the Golden Grizzlies, the Herd got off to a slow start and trailed by as much as eight points with 3:13 remaining in the second quarter. Wheeler took charge scoring nine of Marshall's next 11 points over the final three minutes to cut the deficit to one, 38-37, at the half. She scored 12 points in the second and drew three fouls.
Wheeler scored 12 more points in the third quarter as the Herd continued to roll, outscoring Oakland 21-6 in the period. Wheeler scored the first six points of the third.
She continued her hot streak in the fourth, including drawing three more fouls. Wheeler surpassed her old career-high in the fourth quarter and then pushed her total to 39 points on a layup with 1:22 to go, while also drawing the foul. She stepped to the line to complete the three-point play with freshman Sarah Liberatore waiting to sub in for the Herd's leading scorer. Wheeler sank the free throw to hit 40 for the night. Wheeler then subbed out of the game to a standing ovation and was mobbed by her teammates at the bench.
Wheeler moved up the Marshall all-time charts as well. She is now eighth in program history in made free throws (279), 13th with 98 made three-pointers and 15th in free throws attempted (329). Wheeler continues to be the all-time leader in career free throw percentage at 84.8.
Her 40 points was a league-high and tied for the fourth-most in a single game in the NCAA this season. Wheeler is one of just six players across the country to put up at least 40 in a game so far in the 2021-22 season.
Marshall is 5-4 overall and returns to the court on Thursday, Dec. 30, against Louisiana Tech in the Cam Henderson Center to tipoff Conference USA action. The Herd then welcomes Southern Miss to the Cam on Saturday, Jan. 1.
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 Catlettsburg, Ky., native went off for a career-high 40 points against the Oakland Golden Grizzlies in the Herd's final non-conference contest of the season in the Las Vegas Holiday Hoops Classic. It was the first 40-point game by a Marshall player since MU Athletics Hall of Famer Kristina Behnfeldt scored 40 against Ohio back on Feb. 10, 1999.
Wheeler lit up the scoreboard on 14-of-18 shooting from the field. Her 14 made field goals bested her old mark of nine. She shot 2-of-4 from three-point range and was 10-of-12 from the line as the 5-6 guard drew seven fouls.
Wheeler added team-highs of five assists and four steals to go along with four boards and just one turnover in 35 minutes of action. She also surpassed 900 career points (907) in the win. Wheeler scored in double-figures for the 12th-straight game and the 48th time in 58 career games. It was her second game this season with 30 or more points – the other coming at Michigan State (30) – and the third time in her career. Wheeler surpassed her old career-high of 35 points set against Old Dominion in 2021.
In the game against the Golden Grizzlies, the Herd got off to a slow start and trailed by as much as eight points with 3:13 remaining in the second quarter. Wheeler took charge scoring nine of Marshall's next 11 points over the final three minutes to cut the deficit to one, 38-37, at the half. She scored 12 points in the second and drew three fouls.
Wheeler scored 12 more points in the third quarter as the Herd continued to roll, outscoring Oakland 21-6 in the period. Wheeler scored the first six points of the third.
She continued her hot streak in the fourth, including drawing three more fouls. Wheeler surpassed her old career-high in the fourth quarter and then pushed her total to 39 points on a layup with 1:22 to go, while also drawing the foul. She stepped to the line to complete the three-point play with freshman Sarah Liberatore waiting to sub in for the Herd's leading scorer. Wheeler sank the free throw to hit 40 for the night. Wheeler then subbed out of the game to a standing ovation and was mobbed by her teammates at the bench.
Wheeler moved up the Marshall all-time charts as well. She is now eighth in program history in made free throws (279), 13th with 98 made three-pointers and 15th in free throws attempted (329). Wheeler continues to be the all-time leader in career free throw percentage at 84.8.
Her 40 points was a league-high and tied for the fourth-most in a single game in the NCAA this season. Wheeler is one of just six players across the country to put up at least 40 in a game so far in the 2021-22 season.
Marshall is 5-4 overall and returns to the court on Thursday, Dec. 30, against Louisiana Tech in the Cam Henderson Center to tipoff Conference USA action. The Herd then welcomes Southern Miss to the Cam on Saturday, Jan. 1.
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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