Women’s hoops takes on Conf-USA-leading UTEP at home

The Marshall University women’s basketball team will begin a three-game home stretch 6 p.m. Thursday when the University of Texas at El Paso Miners visit the Cam Henderson Center.

The Herd (14-6, 4-5) faces a difficult task in it attempts to eclipse the .500 mark in conference play for the first time this season as UTEP currently resides atop the conference standings with a perfect 9-0 record.

In its most recent contest, Marshall defeated the University of Alabama at Birmingham 64-61 behind a career-high 26 points from senior forward Leah Scott.

Scott may need to put up similar numbers if the Herd is to keep pace with UTEP’s top-ranked offense during conference play. UTEP is averaging 72 points per game in nine conference games.

However, UTEP’s offensive output is more reliant on generating a surplus of shot attempts as opposed to top-of-the-line shooting proficiency. UTEP ranks just eighth in the conference in field goal percentage, but obtains extra shot attempts through turnovers and offensive rebounds.

The Miners force a conference-leading 20.2 turnovers per game and grab 15.9 offensive rebounds per game, which ranks fourth in the conference. The variance in how UTEP produces its additional shot opportunities will put pressure on Marshall’s backcourt and frontcourt to remain discipline in its ball handling, passing and box outs.

As the Herd’s primary ballhandler, senior point guard Norrisha Victrum will need to be steady in getting the Marshall offense into its offensive sets without coughing up the ball. The veteran has excelled in this department throughout the season with a 2.1 assist-to-turnover ratio.

Although UTEP’s scoring advantage derives from creating more possessions, the Herd is more dependent on maximizing its scoring efficiency through its types of shot attempts.

Marshall has attempted the second-most 3-pointers and the third-most free throw attempts in the conference.

Freshman guard Shayna Gore leads the Herd with 31 3-pointers for the season, but has made just eight total through the team’s nine conference games. Sophomore guard Taylor Porter is second on the team with 26 makes from beyond the arc, 14 of which have come in conference play on a 41.2 percent shooting clip.

Head coach Matt Daniel and his team will see another Texas-based program 1 p.m. Saturday when it hosts the University of Texas at San Antonio.