UCF Beats Marshall Women, 55-44, For Herd's Third Loss In Row

From MU Sports Information

For Herd Insider

 

January 22, 2012

HUNTINGTON – Marshall women’s basketball jumped to a 10-point lead early on Sunday’s, Jan. 22, against UCF, but the effort wasn’t enough as the Knights came back in second half to knock off the Herd, 55-44.

The loss gives Marshall three losses in a row and dropped the Herd to 12-6, 3-2 in Conference USA. UCF improved to 9-9 (4-2 C-USA).

Marshall also lost earlier in the week to WVU in the Chesapeake Energy Capital Classic, 69-57, and to SMU on the previous Sunday, Jan. 15.

Herd senior guard Alaya Mitchell had a season-high 12 points, four rebounds and a steal.

Shay Weaver followed with eight points, while four different Herd players led on the boards with four rebounds apiece.

The Herd was out-rebounded for only the second time this season after UCF grabbed 37 boards to the Herd’s 35. The Knights also accounted for more steals and committed fewer turnovers than Marshall.

“We got out-rebounded, which very rarely happens to us,” MU head coach Royce Chadwick said.

“We were only capable of getting to the free throw line six times tonight. We have to get to the free throw line more than that to win basketball games.”

 

 

 

Erica Woods drives against UCF's Kayli Keough (#12) and (#55) Erika Jones for two of her eight points, but the Herd women's team lost its third game in a row to the Knights, 55-44. Woods added four rebounds and two assists. All Herd Insider UCF@MU photos by Greg Perry

 

UCF took advantage of 16 points from the free throw line, while the Herd only accounted for three points at the charity stripe.

Chadwick featured new personnel in the starting lineup for the match-up against UCF as Weaver and Jasmine Shaw earned their first starts as Thundering Herd.

Shaw and Weaver would each score five points in the first half, while Weaver grabbed two steals and an assist in the opening period.

The Herd sustained a lead until the 7:20 mark of the first half when the Knights went on a 10-point run to tie the game up at 21-21.

At halftime, the score was tied 23-23.

Marshall came out of the locker rooms hot, taking a 31-25 lead in the second half after Mitchell scored four points in a row during the first few minutes.

But UCF’s Gevenia Carter responded by single-handedly adding eight points in a row to allow the Knights to take over the lead, 34-33, with 13:00 left in the game.

 

Marshall's Latreidra Elliott drives on UCF's Gevenia Carter during the loss to the Knights, 55-44. Carter had 20 points to lead UCF to the win while Eliott was held scoreless on an 0-for-4 afternoon.

 

In the last 12 minutes of the game Marshall went 5-for-22 from the field, while Carter scored 12 more to secure the UCF win 55-44. Carter ended the second half with a total of 20 points.

“Her mid-range game is unparalleled,” said Chadwick of Carter. “When she gets her feet set, she is a very good shooter.

“We didn’t do a very good job of rotating over and helping and we tried to play her way too much 1-on-1. Great players step up and make great plays and she stepped up.”