Marshall University’s women’s basketball team defeated Western Kentucky University, 66-63, Friday in the quarterfinals of the Conference USA Tournament.

With the win, the Herd advances to the conference semifinals.

Despite C-USA Player of the Year Kendall Noble recording the first triple-double in tournament history and knocking down a late-game three, the sixth-seeded Herd outlasted the third-seeded Hilltoppers.

Western Kentucky took an early lead after scoring eight of the game’s first 10 points.

Trailing 18-8 early in the second quarter, the Herd cut the lead to five points, 18-13, as Marshall scored five unanswered points from three different players.

The Hilltoppers rebuilt an eight-point lead, but an 11-3 Herd run tied the game at 25-25 with 2:45 left before halftime.

Western Kentucky took a 31-28 lead into halftime. 

The Hilltoppers pushed its lead to as many as nine points midway through the third quarter. However, Marshall responded with a 12-3 run at the end of the quarter to knot the game at 46-46.

The Herd took a 51-47 lead with under a minute to play in the quarter, but the Hilltoppers  tied the game back at 51-51 heading into the final quarter.

Both teams exchanged runs of five unanswered points over the first five minutes of the fourth quarter, eventually settling for another tie at 56-56.

A pair of free throws by Marshall’s Chelsey Romero gave the Herd a 58-56 edge, but four straight points by the Hilltoppers gave Western Kentucky a 60-58 advantage with 1:47 to play.

Marshall battled back and retook the lead; this time, not looking back.

Junior Talequia Hamilton led the Herd with 16 points, followed by senior Leah Scott with 15.