Women's Basketball 3/11/2024 5:53:41 PM
Marshall Wins 2024 Hercules Tires Sun Belt Conference Women’s Basketball Championship
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Championship Central
PENSACOLA, Fla. – Marshall captured the 2024 Hercules Tires Sun Belt Women’s Basketball Championship in a thrilling 95-92 overtime win over James Madison on Monday in the Pensacola Bay Center.
With the win, Marshall will make its first trip to the NCAA Tournament since 1997 after earning the Sun Belt Conference's automatic bid.
It continues a record-setting year for Marshall, who is now 26-6 in the first season under head coach Kim Caldwell.
The Herd got huge efforts out of several different players to lead to the victory. Meredith Maier notched team-highs of 20 points and seven rebounds while Aislynn Hayes added 19 points. Breanna Campbell added 15 points while Abby Beeman notched a double-double with 10 points and 11 assists and Mahogany Matthews added 10 points and five blocks.
Marshall forced James Madison into 39 turnovers, which led to 48 of the Herd's 95 points in the contest. The Herd also grabbed 33 offensive rebounds against the nation's top defensive rebounding team, which also led to 25 second-chance points that helped offset a tough shooting performance.
In overtime, Marshall got a pair of huge shots from Hayes – a 3-pointer with 2:02 left that gave the Herd the lead and then a jumper through contact as the shot clock expired with 29 seconds left to make it 92-88.
It was a gutsy overtime effort that saw Campbell play the entire session and direct the offense after Beeman fouled out late in regulation.
Marshall trailed late in the third quarter, but used the momentum of a three-pointer by Maier to get its offense going. Sydni Scott’s bucket at the horn tied the game at 52 going into the fourth quarter. The Herd used that momentum to its advantage, scoring the first eight points in the fourth and continued its offensive surge throughout with Maier scoring 13 of her 20 points in the final regulation period, which set up the electric finish.
Marshall's Sun Belt Tournament championship was one for the ages as the Herd shattered several long-standing Sun Belt Conference records along the way, including the following:
- Most Points in a Tournament: 287
- Most 3-point Field Goals Made: 30
- Most 3-point Field Goal Attempts: 96
- Most Steals: 44
- Most Points in a Game: 116
- Most Points in a Half: 62
- Most Field Goals Made in a Game: 47
- Most 3-pt Field Goals in a Game: 13
HERE ARE THE SUN BELT TOURNAMENT RECORDS SET BY MARSHALL.